


A Little Bit of Faith

by Corcalamus



Series: Little bit of Faith [1]
Category: Avengers, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor - Fandom
Genre: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Romance, Slash, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-21
Updated: 2013-05-18
Packaged: 2017-11-21 22:50:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 42,079
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/602953
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Corcalamus/pseuds/Corcalamus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Seven months since Tony Stark grabbed a nuclear bomb headed for Manhattan and went on a suicide run into space, six months since Loki escaped Asgard, five months since Thor stationed himself permanently on 'Midgard', four months since the 'Avengers Tower Suite' had been finished, three months since Clint and Natasha officially hooked up, two months since he'd proposed to Pepper, and one month since he and Pepper had broken up.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Better

**Author's Note:**

> 17 Chapters pre written, will be posted as and when I get them back :D Comments are adored and are what keep me warm at night in Scotland. :D

It had been a very busy year so far.

Seven months since Tony Stark grabbed a nuclear bomb headed for Manhattan and went on a suicide run into space, six months since Loki escaped Asgard, five months since Thor stationed himself permanently on 'Midgard', four months since the 'Avengers Tower Suite' had been finished, three months since Clint and Natasha officially hooked up, two months since he'd proposed to Pepper, and one month since he and Pepper had broken up.

He'd spent a week completely drunk, barely remembering to eat, and if it hadn't been for Rhodey coming over to help him crawl out of the hole of depression he wondered if he might still be lying in it. Things had been going so well, or so he'd thought, and then he'd found out that Pepper could handle watching her friend save the world, but not her boyfriend. The simple choice had been: Pepper or Iron Man.

He had considered for a minute that of course he'd pick Pepper, of course Iron Man didn't mean that much to him. But when he really thought about it, it had left him feeling hollow and the look in his eyes when she asked him told her the answer all she needed to know. 

Tony knew it was the right thing to do, but it didn't make it any easier. Neither of them wanted to risk destroying their relationship through resentment and fear. Pepper told him she'd always be there for him, she'd always be his friend, but she couldn't be his girlfriend.

She'd moved out almost immediately, taking all her stuff with her, leaving a big Pepper-shaped hole in his closet. At least he had the Avengers section of the tower downstairs to keep him occupied. Thor resided there with Bruce 24/7, it was Thor's 'Midgardian base of operations' while he hunted his brother.

It was odd though, since Loki had escaped there had been no sign of him. Not a whisper, not a trace of him anywhere. As far as anyone could tell he was using his magic to hide himself as Asgard's gate keeper still couldn't find him. All they cared about right now was that he wasn't anywhere on Midgard, though Thor had said that didn't mean there wouldn't be trouble, 'My brother is always scheming, Tony.'

So now he was in his apartment, his apartment, and had rebelled against Pepper by playing AC/DC full blast on his stereo system whenever he was working. He was also considering what to do with the space in his closet. He supposed he could just buy more clothes... Maybe go on a ridiculous shopping spree? He could always use more clothes.

For the moment he was replying to various emails. There was interest from the European market about purchasing the Arc Reactor, thankfully Pepper was dealing with that so he could just skim it and then dump it. An email from Steve asking him to come over to his apartment this week and assist him with setting up his home entertainment center. An email from Natasha letting him know that she and Clint would be in town next week and would he like to catch up for some Shwarma. Nick Fury had sent a note saying that he'd be in town this week and he'd be the one coming for the Thursday consultation (that usually meant bad things). As he stared at the computer console, his phone rang. He looked at the ID, it was Pepper. He sighed, picked it up and answered it.

“Hello?”

“You're still awake?” came Pepper's concerned voice.

“No, I'm asleep. I'm sleep talking at you right now, it's quite impressive don't you think? Means I can get double the amount of work done a day.”

“There's no need to be so sarcastic, Tony, I was just asking.”

“Well I answered the phone so _clearly_ I'm awake. Is that all you called me for?”

“No, I just wanted to remind you that you're going with me to the Lermiston Charity Benefit tomorrow.”

He was? Oh, wait, he remembered promising to go to some boring event a couple of weeks before they split up. He thought now that they weren't dating he wouldn't need to do that sort of crap.

“You're not coming are you?” 

“We broke up,” Tony said, every time he said it it sort of stuck in his throat. He did love Pepper, but by god it was killing him working with her still, never mind going to some event where there would be champagne and she'd look magnificent and him? Well, he'd look okay, which was better than he was two weeks ago. Steve had brought Rhodey over and staged an intervention on his drunken stupor.

He had access to his scotch again but only because he'd proven he could be trusted. Now he just made sure he got himself pissed in the middle of the night where no one would see it happen, and he could just drift off to the place where no dreams came because he was too drunk.

“I know Tony, I just-”

“And you broke it off with me, remember? I know the press doesn't know we broke up yet, but I don't know if I can face a stupid boring charity dance with you looking magnificent and me looking like I was lucky to drag myself out of bed. Take someone else.”

“I'd rather not,” she said with a sigh. “Listen... Why don't you come to this with me and we'll let everyone know we've broke up? It'll be our last thing together, a public event, we can let it be known we're just friends now and that will be that.”

Tony rubbed his face, he hated it when she could be so level headed, so sensible even with this. It broke him apart to hear how well she was doing, he hated himself a bit for wishing she was in as much pain as she was.

“Fine,” he said softly. “I'll be there, just don't expect me to be happy about it.”

“That's okay,” she said, “I'll see you tomorrow night.”

“Yeah, yeah,” he said with a sigh.

They said goodnight and Tony hung up the call, running his hands over his face. God, when had he become that guy? The guy who gets dumped and then when the ex clicks her fingers he can't help but go running? Hadn't he given Rhodey a hard time about doing the same with his ex?

He had had a couple of relationships in the past, but they had always been a few weeks long, never had he asked or considered asking a woman to marry him. Except for Pepper. When he had been planning how to ask her perfectly if she would marry him, she had been planning how to tell him that she wanted to leave him.

He stood, walking to the windows overlooking New York, the very same window he had been thrown out of barely six months ago. It had been at that point, as he fell, that he'd decided if he got out of this alive he'd ask Pepper to marry him. He'd do the right thing, it took him time to get it together, it took him time to figure it out, but he asked her in her favorite restaurant. He should have seen the writing on the wall when she said 'I'll have to think it over', but he hadn't, he just thought she was so shocked that she needed to take a day or two before answering.

It took a month for her to sit down with him, tell him no and tell him that she couldn't be with him anymore. At first he thought it must be her, he waited on the cliché 'it's not you it's me' speech, but as it turned out what she wanted to say was 'it's not me, it's you.'

So then he wondered if she had another man, frankly he wouldn't have been surprised. He was a reckless mess half the time, a drunken mess a quarter of the time and the rest of the time he went from 'Eccentric Genius' to 'Perfect Boyfriend'.

She said, “I don't have someone else, no. _You_ do though.”

That had really stumped him and then she'd looked at his Iron Man suit behind him. That's when he understood, he understood that she hadn't fallen out of love with him, she hadn't found someone else, she hadn't discovered that in fact he was an ass and she was better off without him. No, the truth was simpler.

_It's Me and Pepper or Me and Iron Man._

So yes, they parted on semi-amicable terms, he sought solace in his scotch and she, well, Tony heard that she sought solace in Macy's and in a whole new wardrobe. He'd seen it too, she had some really nice new skirts that she had been wearing in the week he'd managed to go back to his desk.

He put his system on standby, stood and went to bed, wondering if he might feel better in the morning. Things were supposed to get better.

Weren't they?

~*~*~*~*~

The smile was just about painted on his face for the whole evening. Pepper had kept an eye on his alcoholic consumption, making sure it didn't get out of hand. He made his way back to Stark Tower to find Bruce in the Avengers Suite watching DVDs with Thor.

“So how was the benefit?” Bruce asked, throwing Tony a beer.

“Fine,” he said, opening the can and taking a sip. “Laughter, drinking, dancing, everyone finding out that Pepper broke up with me, more drinking, flirting, getting glared at by Pepper and then having an argument with her in the car all the way here.”

“You argued all the way here?” Thor frowned, “I thought you and Lady Pepper were still friends?”

“Not if this keeps up,” Tony said, which made him all the sadder. He missed Pepper, not as his girlfriend but as his friend. It was hard seeing her all gorgeous and knowing it wasn't for him, it was just because or to catch someone else's eye. He'd be lying if he said he hadn't started the argument, he'd be lying if he said he hadn't been angry that she was flirting with Mr Jamieson from the charity. They were not doing each other any favors currently.

“You need space,” Bruce said with a knowing look. “You know, actual physical space. Why don't you go out to Malibu for a while?”

“I can't, I'm meant to stay here all week because Fury is coming to 'have a meeting' and I've got a whole bunch of other shit to do,” Tony sighed. “But I think we do need to stop getting in each others' way.”

“Why don't you take a break from the company?” Bruce asked him, “Pepper is still sort of the CEO, you just rubber stamp everything and do publicity. Just get her to send the files up to you that you need to sign and send them back. Don't talk to her, just, go through a secretary or something.”

“Yeah... that's not a bad idea actually. Take a few months, get some space. I mean, I didn't take any time off when I was tortured in Afghanistan so I should be due some time off, right?”

Bruce looked surprised, “You didn't take time off after that?”

“Nope,” Tony said, downing the rest of his beer. “I got back, had a cheeseburger and then had a press conference that day. I was in my workshop two days later and then Obadaiah tried to _kill_ me. So no, I had no time off – Hey Thor, pretzel me.” Thor threw a bag of pretzels at Tony. “Maybe a break from the company will be good for me.”

“What will you do with yourself then?” Bruce asked with an amused smile at his friend.

“I'm sure JARVIS and I can come up with something. I have a shit load of Chitauri technology in my workroom as well. Gonna see if I can figure out how most of it works. I liked those hovercraft things they had. I think I can sell those if I can figure out how they work.”

“I thought you didn't design weapons?” Bruce said suspiciously.

“It's a _hovercraft_ , not a weapon,” Tony said with a roll of his eyes. “Besides, _someone_ needs to start trying to invent proper hover cars. I think I should be that someone. I'd rather that be my legacy to Earth. Pretty cool epitaph 'Here Lies Tony Stark: Inventor of the Hovercar.'”

Bruce shook his head as Tony opened another beer, “You're such a college student.”

“Guilty as charged,” Tony said with a grin. “Shh, movie's getting to the good bit.”

~*~*~*~

He called Pepper in the morning. It took him seven messages on her voice-mail before she would pick up. It had been another slightly snippy conversation (perhaps mostly on his end) but he told her the gist of Bruce's idea and she agreed it might be a good one. She told him she'd run the company as CEO in his stead, she would get a PA and run everything through her to him. First he was going to take a month off completely and do whatever he wanted.

He had a mad idea to randomly get on a plane and fly to Australia, but he knew he couldn't as he did need to be in town for any Avengers stuff (and he could sense it coming seeing as Fury sent him a follow up 'just in case you forgot' email about their Thursday meeting). So what he did was simpler. He went round to Steve's apartment on Monday, set up his entertainment unit and then went with him to purchase some DVDs. Steve wanted the ones that he couldn't miss, the ones that people constantly referred to in pop culture. The list was extensive, the cost huge and Tony decided to foot the bill, wasn't like he couldn't afford it.

On Tuesday he met Clint and Natasha for Shwarma. Clint was doing much better now after his ordeal with Loki, and Natasha had helped him through it by keeping him busy and getting him to go to counseling at SHIELD HQ. Natasha looked good too (she always looked good) and she expressed her surprise that Pepper dumped him and the reason why.

“But she knew what she was getting into. You're at least upfront about the shit you do,” Natasha said.

“See, that's what I thought,” Tony had replied.

Wednesday he spent in his lab with Bruce, they both studied the Chitauri hovercraft and began to take it apart. Afterward they went upstairs to the Avengers suite to watch TV, but met Thor as he was telling a story to Steve about when he and Loki were children, he called the tale 'Odinsons and the Wolf'. It was weird hearing Thor talk about Loki, the boy and brother he once knew, clearly very different to the man he had become. As Thor spun his tale, Tony wondered what had happened to the timid, shy boy Thor sometimes talked about.

Thursday brought Nick Fury and his file regarding HYDRA, it appeared that they had become active in New York. The file was all they knew regarding Viper, their leader. A few shots of a tall, lean dark haired woman was all they had, as well as the assumption that she was from Eastern Europe. Fury seemed to expect something big to happen soon, so all the Avengers were being put on high alert and being asked to relocate to Tony's Avengers Suite.

Friday night in Stark tower, Tony was sitting in the living room of the Avengers Suite, surrounded by his comrades. Clint and Natasha sat on one couch together, Thor had brought 'Lady Jane' for a visit, Bruce was in a chair with a tablet working on something or other, while Steve was asking a lot of questions on the movie they were watching. It was at that moment Tony realised that while he didn't have Pepper the way he wanted, he had felt really low and lonely up until this point. It was now he realised that he had friends here, he was no longer alone.

Things would get better.


	2. Killer Insomnia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was one of those nights, one of those infuriating nights where he would just be dropping off to sleep when something would wake him. Slightly too warm, slightly too cold, cutting off the circulation in his arm, dreaming that he was falling, he needed to pee, he needed a snack; the list of irritations seemed endless.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the Kudos and comments, chapter 3 will be posted between Wednesday and Friday! Happy new year to everyone.

**Chapter 2** \- Killer Insomnia 

He couldn't sleep.

It was one of those nights, one of those infuriating nights where he would just be dropping off to sleep when something would wake him. Slightly too warm, slightly too cold, cutting off the circulation in his arm, dreaming that he was falling, he needed to pee, he needed a snack; the list of irritations seemed endless.

He gave up at two in the morning; the only thing to do was to go down to his workroom. Tony pulled on a T-shirt and jeans, making his way downstairs to his epic workroom. He loved this place, especially in the dead of night when he knew no-one would call to bother him.

He had a wide selection of Chitauri technology to study. One almost complete hovercraft and sections of others, metal work, a few of their weapons, and the scepter - which was currently sitting off to the side behind glass. The energy reading from it had died down almost to nothing, but it still gave off _some_ radiation. Bruce said it was better to be safe than sorry, so they kept it in a specially designed glass case.

Tony slid under the hovercraft he had been working on lately. What he thought was its power source looked somewhat like the crystal in the scepter; which was causing him some problems since the destruction of the Chitauri ship, the closing of the portal, and the Tesseract now being elsewhere, all meant he had nothing to even try and jump-start it with. He had thought about using the scepter, but really, it was best that thing stayed in its box at the other end of the lab.

As he fiddled with the bolts keeping the empty power source in place, Jarvis spoke, “Sir, the Scepter's gamma radiation output is climbing higher than usual.”

Tony frowned “How much higher?” he came out from beneath the hovercraft, wiping his hands off on a rag.

“12%, rising half a percent every minute.”

Tony frowned further, that wasn't a small amount. The damn thing went up and down about 1% per day, but to suddenly raise 12%? He walked towards the case encasing the scepter. Tony knew he should probably contact Bruce before opening it, and he was just about to ask Jarvis to wake Bruce when he heard a crash behind him. He turned quickly and watched as seven Chitauri appeared, Loki between them.

“Get your filthy hands off me!” The God of Mischief shouted, he thrust a knife into the neck of the Chitauri that had hold of him as the others barreled down upon him. Loki ran, jumping over a bench which caused his long overcoat to pull back and Tony saw a gaping wound in his side.

“We will skin you alive, Odinson!” shouted one of the Chitauri.

“You will have to catch me first!” Loki hollered back at them with a snarl.

“If only they had managed to send you to Joutenhiem,” said another as they stalked Loki. “We would have had such fun hunting you.”

“I'm having a great time right now,” Loki quipped, tone dripping with sarcasm. From his position, Tony could see Loki pull a knife from his shoulder and grip it in hand, ready to strike. The five remaining Chitauri continued walking towards him and Tony saw him looking strained. “We should do this on a more regular basis.”

“We were rather hoping this would be the last,” one of the Chitauri said.

Tony had ducked behind a workbench when he saw them; now he looked at his wrists and realised he didn't have his homing bracelets on, cursing himself. He looked up and noticed the scepter, realised he could use it to try and cause a distraction. Tony quietly got up and opened the case, taking the scepter out. It was almost humming with power as he held it.

As he stood, the Chitauri all paused in their movements and turned to look at him. 

“KILL HIM!” shouted the one at the front.

Tony hadn't expected them to change track so quickly; two of the Chitauri turned and all but flew at him. He managed to thrust the scepter out and run through the first Chitauri, but he wasn't so lucky with the second. It gripped him by the shirt and slammed him into the wall.

Tony didn't see what happened after that. The next thing he knew, he was on the ground and he wasn't dead, but the Chitauri that had grabbed him was. He looked and saw a knife in its back, the same knife Loki had held in his hand. Pushing the dead Chitauri off him, Tony got up to see Loki fighting with the last living Chitauri, and it was obvious he was tiring. This Chitauri was much larger than its companions and it grabbed Loki by the throat, slamming him down on the table, pulling a knife from its belt. It brought the knife to Loki's eye. “Blind him first...” crooned the Chitauri, “The Other said you fear the darkness.”

“I fear _nothing_ ,” Loki said and spat in the Chitauri's face. 

At that moment Tony ran forward with the scepter and speared the Chitauri through, and Tony thought the resulting look of shock on Loki's face was rather priceless. Tony pulled the scepter free and shoved the Chitauri off of Loki. Loki very slowly stood, looking a bit unsteady on his feet. He looked curiously at Tony and then Tony - without thinking - punched him square in the face, sending him flying to the floor on his back.

“That's for throwing me out the window.” It had felt _good_ to punch Loki with his bare fist rather than the suit. He looked down at Loki, who was laying there not even attempting to get up. “What the hell are you doing here?” Tony asked him.

“Currently I'm trying to figure out if I have bruised or broken ribs on my right side.”

Tony frowned, he looked at Loki properly now, watched as he tried to sit up but couldn't find the strength. “I suppose I should go get Thor, he's downstairs.” He didn't really want to though, something just felt _off_ about the whole situation: Loki's pale skin, the way his armor was hanging off his frame and the fact that the Chitauri were clearly trying to kill him. When he'd escaped Asgard, it was assumed he'd gone back to his old allies. Apparently not.

“I suppose you should,” Loki said, wincing as he sat up. “Please tell him to execute me, it would be kinder than leaving me defenseless on Joutunheim.”

“Can't you just hocus pocus your way away from here?”

“No,” Loki said and he slowly peeled off his overcoat, making Tony grimace. Loki's ribs were definitely broken, he could tell what with the way they were poking through the skin.

“That's not good,” Tony couldn't help saying.

“You are fond of pointing out the obvious aren't you, Stark?” Loki was now looking at his side, and Tony didn't know how he wasn't screaming in agony. He felt a little bit bad about punching Loki now, only because it was clear he was so badly injured. Tony walked forward and Loki pulled a knife, holding it in front of him.

“Stay back,” Loki ordered, though the words and commanding tone were undermined by the way his hand shook.

“I'm not going to hurt you, I-”

“You _punched_ me!” he said indignantly.

“You threw me out a window!” Tony said back, just as indignant.

“I just saved your life, or did you think the throwing knife spontaneously appeared in that Chitauri's back?”

“I wouldn't have needed saving if _you_ hadn't brought them here!”

Loki opened his mouth to argue back, but then frowned. “Well... I did not intend to bring them here, I was trying to deposit them on Jotunheim. I had hoped the Frost Giants would kill them for me, however, they redirected me. I do not know how I ended up here of all places.”

Tony looked back at the scepter lying on the ground. “I have the scepter here that you were using. Would it have anything to do with that?”

Loki looked thoughtful and then nodded after a moment, “Yes... I half expected to end up on Asgard, but the Tesseract must be well hidden in the Vault.” Loki had lowered the knife. “Weren't you going to go fetch my brother?”

“I never said I was definitely going to do that... Can I come near you now or are you going to attempt to stab me again?”

Loki set the knife beside him. “Killing you won't get me anywhere anyway.”

“Cool,” Tony said and moved towards him. He kneeled beside the Asgardian, looking at his broken ribs. “Well... I suppose we should push the ribs back in.”

Loki winced, “Yes...”

“And how are you not screaming in agony?”

“It is undignified,” Loki said with an amused tone, “And I have a high pain threshold.”

Tony looked at the ribs and tried his best not to be too grossed out with what he was about to do. He put his hand on the bone and felt a shudder go through Loki, then he pushed and as he did Loki screamed.

The Asgardian fell into a dead faint and Tony rubbed his forehead, looking around at his lab. He had no one he could trust to help him with Loki, no one that wouldn't take him directly to Thor and let him be led back into custody, and he couldn't understand why that was bothering him. Loki had murdered countless people, Loki had tried to take over Earth, Loki had thrown him out a window. Well, he could let that last one go with the punch, but then there was what he'd done to Clint, the promise he'd made to Natasha about what he would order Clint to do, and the fact that he'd killed Phil.

And yet Tony still didn't want to hand him over, not yet anyway. 

“Jarvis, wipe the last hour of footage from this room's surveillance cameras. Start recording again when Loki and I leave. Tell _nobody_ about Loki, alright?”

“Of course sir,” came Jarvis' cool response. “Sir, are you sure this is a wise course of action?”

“Not even slightly... but it's cool, whenever I take risks they tend to pay off.”

~*~*~*~*~

Tony took Loki up to his penthouse, undressed him and bandaged his ribs. He had hundreds of other marks on his skin; some older, some newer. Burns, scratches, bite marks. He wondered how the Asgardian had gained them all, but he thought better than to try and wake him as he slept.

Instead he had to worry about the mess downstairs. He had seven Chitauri bodies to take care of, as well as an explanation to come up with. He went downstairs first to his lab, making sure JARVIS had deleted the files as instructed and then he set about clearing away any sign that Loki had ever been there. He waited until 6am before he called Bruce and told him the Chitauri had come in search of the scepter. After that it was a piece of cake to lie to Fury on the video call. He simply told Fury that he'd had his homing bracelet for his rescue suit on and managed to take care of them. 

Fury looked a _little_ suspicious, but told Tony he'd send a team out to take care of the bodies. An hour later they arrived and Tony headed back upstairs to check on his house guest. He'd asked Jarvis to alert him when Loki woke and so far there had been no signal from him to say he was awake.

He walked inside the penthouse. “Jarvis, is Loki still asleep?”

“Yes sir.”

“Do Asgardians eat omelets?” he asked as he walked to the kitchen to begin his breakfast.

“Yes.”

Tony was frankly surprised with the prompt and very certain answer. “How do you know that?”

“I have witnessed Thor Odinson consume over thirty omelets in his time in the Avengers' Suite.”

Tony laughed a bit and began making ham and cheese omelettes. He had no idea if Loki would eat them, but he'd make two anyway and Loki could eat it if he wished. After cooking them he poured out a coffee for himself and an orange juice for Loki before setting the plates on the breakfast bar.

He walked to the guest bedroom where he'd put Loki and entered, finding Loki in the process of waking up.

“Rise and shine,” he said, watching as Loki opened his sleep confused eyes. He slowly sat up, looking down at himself, clearly bewildered.

“Where am I Stark?”

“In my penthouse. I made you breakfast because I'm feeling charitable, and because I want to quiz you. I think you owe me answers on account of the fact I haven't told anyone you're here.”

Loki frowned, looking at him suspiciously. “Why have you not turned me over to Thor?”

“Because everyone assumed you were escaping to rejoin your friends, but I just watched seven of them try to skin you alive and/or blind you. Something's going on, I want to know what, and seeing as I'm going to be keeping you here for answers I decided to provide you breakfast and a bed. Sound like a good deal?”

Loki kept his eyes upon Tony, it was an intent gaze designed to feel any untruths in what he'd said. Tony knew he was suspicious, hell, if the tables were turned he'd be really suspicious too, but then Tony was the good guy. Loki? Well... he wasn't the good guy, but it didn't necessarily make him the _bad_ guy in this little drama either.

“Breakfast... a bed... you wish for answers?”

“I do.”

“I require a little more than just breakfast and one night's sleep for answers. I am the God of Lies, I do not so easily part with the truth.”

“What do you want then?” Tony asked him, crossing his arms over his chest. He'd had a feeling his terms weren't going to be accepted. Lunch too maybe?

“I wish for rest, proper rest, Stark. I have neither eaten nor slept in five days.”

Tony frowned, it was an easier request than he imagined and yet sort of sad too. It wouldn't be too hard to keep Loki hidden in his penthouse, no-one came up here anymore except him. When he wanted company he went downstairs into the Avengers' Suite to talk to Bruce, or went to bother the PA working between him and Pepper.

“I can give you a few days, meals and rest?”

Loki nodded, “Yes... I am capable of making my own meals, you will not have to look after me. I just wish to heal my wounds, regenerate my magic, sleep and then move on. In return, I will answer some questions.”

Tony nodded, “Deal... Now come on, breakfast is gonna get cold.”

Loki slowly extracted himself from the bed, his movements a bit stiff from the aches Tony knew must be going through him from the fight the night before.

“How do your ribs feel?” Tony asked as they walked out into the breakfast area. He watched as Loki ran his hand over the area and nodded.

“They're feeling much better.”

Loki and Tony sat together and ate. Tony kept an eye on him, noticing how quickly Loki ate, how hungry he genuinely seemed to be. He found he believed the Asgardian. God of Lies, yes, but he was thinner than Tony remembered and he just about inhaled his food. Tony believed Loki despite himself.

“Breakfast good?” Tony asked as he collected the plates and took them to the dishwasher.

“Yes, thank you.” Loki ran a hand through his hair and sighed. “What did you do with the bodies of the Chitauri?” The thought suddenly seemed to come to him and he looked at Tony curiously.

“I told Fury they came for the scepter. Bruce theorized that they were going to use the scepter to try and find the Tesseract the way he did.”

Loki laughed, “Clever.”

“I thought so,” Tony said, walking back over to Loki. “Your armor is in bits, I left it in the room you were sleeping in. Don't know if you can repair it or not.”

“I can,” Loki said. “Though I have no normal clothes. Just what I was wearing under the armor, and that was shredded.”

“Yeah, I noticed... I'll get you something to wear. None of my stuff will fit, you're too tall. I'll send Happy out to get something.”

Loki nodded a bit, “He won't wonder about the size difference?”

“Not really, Happy doesn't ask questions, he's good like that. I get up to enough shit that he's learned that just not knowing is often the best policy. So, you should go shower, clean your wounds up and then I want to talk to you about some stuff. When you get out of your shower hopefully I'll have clothes for you. To work the shower just talk to Jarvis. Jarvis, give Loki level 1 access to your systems.”

“Of course sir.”

Tony watched Loki get off the seat and walk towards the bedroom that he was going to be using the en suite of. “Jarvis, contact Happy. Give him Loki's measurements, tell him to grab basic T-shirts in black, dark blue and green, as well as a couple of pairs of dark jeans. Oh, and some sweats.”

“Of course sir. Anything else?”

“Toiletries, shampoo and anything else Loki might need while he's staying here.”

As Tony finished giving his orders to Jarvis, he sat down at his computer console, going over the day's news. Nothing exciting to be had today, nothing over the whole world seemed to have changed in the past hours since Loki arrived. It seemed the landing of the God of Mischief in his work room was the most exciting thing to happen in the world today and Tony wondered why it always seemed to happen to _him_.


	3. Enemy of my Enemy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Breakfast and some answers from the God of Mischief.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for the comments, it's nice to know people are enjoying it I start getting nervous as I progress into a chaptered story, especially as no one but me has read the whole thing yet! lol. Hope you enjoy.

**Chapter 3 -** Enemy of my Enemy

“You wish to know why they want me dead?” Loki asked halfway through a sandwich. “Do the reasons why matter much?”

“The reasons why always matter,” Tony said as he ate his own sandwich. “It's important to understand the 'why' and not just the 'how'.”

Loki shrugged, “They wish to destroy me for failing them.”

“Because you didn't take over Earth?”

“More because they do not currently have the Tesseract,” Loki corrected. “Midgard was not their goal, the Tesseract just happened to be here. I was Asgardian, I was familiar with Midgard, and so they felt I was the perfect weapon to wind up and point at Midgard to retrieve their prize.” 

“So they're going to kill you for not giving them the Tesseract?” Tony asked.

“No, they do not plan on killing me,” Loki said. “First they are going to take my eyes, blind me because they know after my fall through the bifrost I fear the dark. Then they will do whatever they wish to me, torture is too tame a word for the things they can do. I have seen and experienced but a taste of their power. I fear them and hate them, and I plan for their destruction.”

“Fond of destroying entire races aren't you?”

“Only the ones that deserve it,” Loki countered. “The Frost Giants do nothing but war and yet I now see that perhaps they are not so bad. They war, they kill and they bend to their will, but they do not wantonly destroy _everything_ in their path. They have some moral code at the center of their culture. The Chitauri? They are but parasites.”

“Parasites? They just come in and destroy everything?”

“They strip other worlds of natural resources and then return home with them. They see the people of other worlds as mere resources. They _eat_ other races, they rape, destroy, enslave and torture everything they encounter.” 

There was a dark look in Loki's eyes as he said these words. Tony didn't need to be told, he didn't need to ask further on this, he saw it in the hatred burning in Loki's eyes that what they do to other worlds, to other people, is exactly what they had done to him. They used him as a resource, and to Loki that was unacceptable.

“I will show them what happens to those who cross me, Stark. I will make them beg for mercy and then I will deny it. They will _fall_ before me.” Loki looked up at Tony now. “I have no quarrel with Midgard, I have no quarrel with Asgard. I do what I do now to avenge myself and put right the destruction I helped to wield. I cannot say that I mourn the deaths of those I killed here or on Jotunheim... but know that I am not your enemy.”

“Neither are you our friend,” Tony remarked.

“That is true...” Loki said with the smallest smile, “But not all is black and white, good and evil. There are spaces between and that is where I am. I work selfishly to kill them and I _will_ kill them.”

“And anyone that gets in your way?” Tony asked.

“It would be unwise,” Loki said as he finished his sandwich. “Though I do appreciate your help. Rest is what I currently need above everything else. You have my thanks, Stark.”

“Ah don't worry about it,” Tony said. “You're sating my curiosity and keeping me company today. It can get a bit lonely up here sometimes and your brother isn't the best of company right now.”

Loki frowned, “Why is that?”

“Well, he's been preoccupied with his brother who seems to have gone off the deep end of the crazy boat. Then he's been arguing with his own father about said brother's punishment, and then there's the whole war with Jotunheim that looks like it's still gonna be stirred up. The Frost Giants have rallied under a new leader who knows it was Asgard who tried to destroy their world. They're sort of pissed.”

Loki's eyes widened in surprise. “He has been arguing with father over my punishment?”

Tony nodded, “Thor was trying to make a case for you being banished to Midgard or Alfhiem. He said that a guy called Fandral was trying to help him change Odin's mind about you. Said that your actions against Jotunhiem were 'misguided' but that you didn't _actually_ break any laws or rules.”

“Alfhiem or Midgard would have been more acceptable... except that he wants to bind my magic. You saw the Chitauri, they will not stop until they can grab me.”

“Maybe you should tell them that then?”

“Perhaps... after I have destroyed them that is. If I told father that was my plan he would likely advise against it. I wish it to be completed before I find peace with them.”

Tony sighed a bit, well, he had _tried_.

“I am tired, Stark. I am going to go lay down to rest.”

Tony watched Loki disappear once more into the bedroom. Part of him wanted to go downstairs and talk to Thor about his brother, but he knew that if he interfered in Loki's desire to destroy the Chitauri it would not end well for either of them. So he decided to just go back to his work room and work on the hovercraft.

~*~*~*~

“Your machine is very sarcastic at times, Stark.”

Tony slid out from beneath the hovercraft to see Loki leaning against the door frame of his lab. Loki walked into the room, looking around curiously. “He can be when you ask him stupid questions,” Tony said. “He was often snarky with Pepper too, she didn't much appreciate it.”

Loki continued to look around and stopped in front of the scepter. He looked to Tony, “You should destroy this thing, you know. It is dangerous.”

“Oh we know, that's why it's in a box,” Tony said.

“Hmm...” Loki hummed, looking at the glass case the scepter was held in. “Would you mind if I made it harder to detect? I can feel its power and I am not even _looking_ for it.”

“Knock yourself out,” Tony said, watching Loki curiously now.

Loki placed his hands on the glass box and closed his eyes. Tony watched as a faint green glow moved from Loki's hands over the glass, covering it in glowing runes before they all disappeared with a flash.

“Sir, the Scepter is no longer giving off any detectable gamma radiation,” came JARVIS' voice. Tony grinned, great, Loki had hidden its signature and kept it hidden from the Chitauri's view.

“Thanks,” Tony said, “Your magic returning then?”

Loki gave a nod, “Yes, it's getting almost back to normal and my wounds are mostly healed. I should be able to leave tomorrow.”

Tony nodded, “Good... Not that I'm _that_ sorry to see you go. You know, you've managed to not kill me and stuff in spite of all my questions and you were good enough to answer most of them.” Tony grinned as a small smile appeared on Loki's face.

“You are much less irksome when you are not directly in my way,” Loki said. “It has been an interesting few days.”

“Interesting?”

“Well, it is nice to have company lately whom does not wish to kill me. It has been a while. We may not be friends but you are the enemy of my enemy and for that I am glad we can call a sort of truce, between us at least for now.”

Tony nodded a bit, “Yeah...”

“I should leave you to your work,” Loki said looking at the Chitauri hovercraft. It occurred to Tony that Loki might know how this shit worked.

“You could help me if you wanted.” Tony offered, “I mean, you might not be friends with the Chitauri but you might know how some of this shit works, hm? The power source seems to be really specific and whatever I try replacing it with blows out the circuits or just does nothing.”

Loki looked at him a little thoughtfully. “I suppose I could help...” he said and walked towards Tony. “Show me what you have learned so far.”

Tony grinned, “Easy. JARVIS, display Avengers File 01 for Loki. Let him navigate himself.”

“Of course sir.”

On the nearest display screen, a set of schematics appeared and Loki looked them over. He even looked a little impressed, “You have discerned all this already?” He flicked from page to page with theories and ideas on the hovercraft.

“Yeah,” Tony said. “Like I said, the biggest problem is the power source.”

Loki nodded a little, “Perhaps I can help then... let us get to work.”

~*~*~*~

Loki stayed with Tony for four days in total, eating, sleeping and then helping with the Chitauri hovercraft. They made a fair bit of progress, Loki explaining that the energy source needed for the hovercraft was a different type of energy than Midgard had ever really used (Namely magic). Loki told him he'd figure something out, but that was before he'd left. Tony wondered if he intended on keeping his word on that.

Loki had gone during the night, leaving nothing of himself except a note on Tony's bedside table which simply said:

'Thank you for your kind hospitality, I will find a way to repay you.'

It had made Tony smile, but he didn't ever expect to hear anything of Loki again. So it came as a shock two weeks later when he entered his work room to find a perfect orb made of some sort of polished rock - but which hummed with energy - sitting on his workbench. The note attached simply said 'Viable Power Source?' in Loki's handwriting.

Tony grinned, the hovercraft was going to fly.

~*~*~*~

He took the hovercraft to the larger empty work room before installing the power orb that Loki had provided. He heard a soft hum coming from the machine and as soon as he stepped on it the hovercraft lifted from the ground. “Whoa...” he said and as soon as Tony felt he wanted it to stop, it stopped.

He placed his hands on the controls, nothing moved but when he willed the thing to lift, again it did. He was going to have a whole lot of fun scanning this with Bruce, but then he wondered how he was going to explain the sudden flight of the hovercraft and the source of power. Bruce wasn't easy to lie to.

Just as Tony was contemplating this, Bruce walked into the lab and his eyes widened. “You got it to fly?”

“I had a little help,” Tony admitted as he jumped off the hovercraft, causing it to go dormant again. 

“From who?” Bruce asked as he now inspected the hovercraft.

Tony was glad Bruce was looking at the hovercraft as he asked, because he knew the panic he was feeling would give it away. He just said, “Uh, I got a guy... it's best you don't know.”

Bruce gave him a _look_. “Tony... if this is illegal...”

“It's not _illegal_ ,” he said. Truthfully he had no idea from where Loki got this, or what it was exactly, all he knew was that it worked and it couldn't be too dangerous or Loki wouldn't have left it, would he?

But then, this _was_ Loki, and Loki's idea of 'dangerous' and his idea of 'acceptable behavior' was vastly different to his own. Maybe he should disconnect the power and scan it before playing with the hovercraft anymore?

“It's just an unknown power source,” Tony said finally as he stood beside Bruce. He went under the hovercraft and disconnected the orb, which - now that he looked closer - had etchings all over it. “The guy said it was found on a crash site a few years ago.” He came out from under the hovercraft holding the orb. “He wasn't sure what kind of tech it was, but when I described what I had he said he had something that might work.”

“What's your guy's name?” Bruce asked dubiously.

“Liam,” Tony said, not missing a beat. It was the first name that had come into his head and he supposed it sort of suited Loki. “Though I'm not entirely convinced it's his real name.”

Bruce held his hand out for the orb and Tony dropped it into his hand. “We should run tests.”

“We should,” Tony agreed, “Though I'm more a fan of jumping right into things.” Tony grinned and Bruce shook his head.

“I'm aware, remind me what happened to your Porsche?”

“That was a minor miscalculation,” Tony said, waving his hand dismissively.

“Oh yeah, cutting the power to the Iron Man suit a few feet in the air on unreinforced ground? Really smart.”

“Playing with gamma radiation where no one is around to help should things go wrong? Just as smart,” Tony countered.

Bruce grinned, “You're a smart ass.”

“I am, but you love it. Admit it, life would be boring without me.”

“I dunno, my life was plenty exciting before you. But my life is 'stable and fun' now as opposed to 'destructive and adventurous.'”

Tony smiled, “I'm glad you're happy here.”

Bruce nodded, “I am... Now come on, this thing's not gonna scan itself.”

~*~*~*~

Three days of scans and manipulation of the power source Loki had left got them the information they needed. The frequency of the power source was much lower than anything they'd tried to use. It seemed the hovercraft didn't need a whole lot of power to run. Tony did a few prototypes and managed to find something that worked as well as the orb.

The power stayed dormant until someone stood on the hovercraft and held the controls. They scanned it while Tony was on it and found the hovercraft connected both to the power source in its frame and it connected to the person flying the thing. It seemed to finish some sort of circuit when Tony stood on it. The whole thing was utterly fascinating.

The other interesting thing was, when Bruce tried to fly it, the hovercraft remained dormant. It was bewildering, but Tony knew he had time to play. Bruce, however, had to get back to his own projects in R&D and he himself had to start helping SHIELD look for Viper, HYDRA's newest pet in New York.


	4. A Return to 'Normal'

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where Tony goes out with the Avengers for drinks in an attempt to return to 'Normal'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and commenting :)
> 
> Just as a side note, I posted a story called 'The Wolf' as well and that is a companion piece to this. It's the story of Loki finding Fenrir as a boy in the forests of Scandanavia. He and Thor are about 100 years old but by Earth standards they're like 14/15. There might be a couple of other stories to go along with it as well.
> 
> Ta, hope you enjoy!

**Chapter 4**  
A Return to 'Normal'

Tony read in the news that he had apparently become a recluse. He didn't really like the sound of that, so he went to the Avengers' Suite and announced that they were having a night out. Thor was enthusiastic, he'd been to a couple of bars with Steve and Clint and had enjoyed the music and general atmosphere, and just as with Erik Selvig he'd had a great time. Clint was always glad when Tony took them out since Tony always paid. Natasha just asked 'what kind of place' so she knew how to dress, and the rest of them knew better than to argue, they just went along with him.

He'd had the intention of not going home to his own bed that night, not that he told anyone else this. They all had a good time, and Tony was happy to see the paparazzi out and about, taking his picture as he was chatting up some leggy blond at the bar that he was _totally_ going home with.

Part of him, the little part that was still bitter at Pepper, hoped she saw the news reports and the pictures of him returning to his old ways. As they left the bar and Tony let Natasha know where he was going, he made sure the paparazzi got a good picture of him and this woman (her name had been lost to the alcohol) kissing. 

They went back to her place - Tony figured it was simply easier seeing as he didn't have Pepper there to 'take out the trash' - and the sex, well meh, it was alright. Nothing exciting. She seemed to think it was amazing, and the girl had a way with her mouth, but Tony knew that in a few days he would barely remember this night and that wasn't really surprising. The amount of women and men he'd taken to bed over the years, it was pretty hard to remember anything but the best nights.

The next morning, as he arrived back at his tower, he was gratified to see pictures in the news of him and the Avengers having a good time at the bar the night before. He opened his computer to find an email from Pepper and it simply said 'Good to see you getting back to normal. I think the media has missed you.'

The note made him smile a bit and the knot of bitterness inside loosened just a little. He was starting to move on and so was she, the break so far had been good for them. He did still want to go out and rub her nose in it a little more, but he'd do that another day.

Later that afternoon Thor came to say that he had been recalled to Asgard for a while. While the Bifrost was being repaired it was still difficult to travel between the realms, but apparently Loki had been spotted on Alfhiem and Thor was going with 'The Warriors Three' to try and catch him.

Tony didn't pay much attention to the desire in the back of his mind that said 'I hope you fail'.

~*~*~*~

Thor and Fandral showed up on Earth a week later with the news that they hadn't apprehended Loki, but that he seemed to be making mischief wherever he went. There had been reports from some of the elves that Loki had been in the River Aspelhiem, which was a healing river. Thor indicated that they had caught sight of Loki, and that his brother hadn't looked well.

Fandral looked positively depressed about it all, and when Thor went off to find 'Lady Jane' he left Fandral in the Avengers' suite. Tony made Fandral a cup of tea and sat it in front of him.

“You pissed that you didn't catch him then?” Tony asked, sitting across from him. He'd heard a little of Fandral from Thor, he was the one that had been helping Thor argue with Odin about Loki's sentence.

“I am upset that we could not apprehend him. He seems to be doing something dangerous, I have never seen him so injured and unable to heal himself. To have to go to the River Aspelhiem in Alfhiem, he must have been desperate.”

Tony frowned, “Why?”

“Loki doesn't like using outside sources to heal if he can help it. He has a very hardy physique, he heals quickly and can heal others too.” Fandral sipped his tea, “I wish I knew what he was up to... I wish...” Fandral sighed, staring into his tea.

“What do you wish?” 

“I wish he would have trusted me and come to me for help when he needed it. I wish he would have known that I do not wish him harm... I wish I could help him with whatever it is he needs help with. He is not a reckless man, not usually... I... I abandoned my friend.”

Tony felt like there was much more to what the Asgardian was saying than he could figure out at the moment. He was about to ask when Fandral stood, “I am going to head to my chamber... Thor showed me which room I can use while I am here. Thank you for the tea, Sir Stark, I shall see you in the morning.”

Tony watched him go, his shoulders hunched, still looking thoroughly depressed. He sighed, nothing he could do about it was there? He made his way back up to his suite and settled himself in front of the computer. 

“Stark...”

The voice came from behind him, it was strangled, it was pained, and it was clearly Loki's voice. He turned, frightened of what he would find. Loki was on his knees, his skin was blue - which surprised him - but there was a lacework of angry red skin and blisters across his bare chest and the right side of his face.

“Holy shit, Loki...” Tony got up and walked towards him. Loki had a leather rucksack beside him, his armor was gone, he just wore a pair of black trousers, and he was dark with bruises. “What the hell happened to you?”

“Fire demons... frost giants...” he closed his eyes, “Please help me...”

The tone was desperate, Fandral was right. This was a man who was in desperate need of help, of a friend, of a safe place to call his for a few hours at least.

“What do you need?”

“A cold bath,” Loki said, his eyes closed. “I also need a golden apple, but I doubt you can get one of those right now.”

Tony did his best to grab Loki around the waist where the burns were less, but he winced anyway as Tony walked him into the nearest bathroom. “JARVIS, run a cold bath.”

“How cold, sir?”

“Icy,” said Loki as Tony sat him on the closed toilet. The bath began to fill and Tony helped Loki get his half shredded trousers off along with his shoes. Then he helped Loki over to the now full bath, and helped him into the water. As the icy water hit his skin, Loki groaned, especially when the water reached the worst of the burns on his chest.

“By _Asgard_...” he said softly, his eyes closed.

“Feel better?” Tony asked. “You need anything else?”

“Yes it feels better, and no, I do not need anything else. Except perhaps your company.”

“That's easy enough,” Tony said with a small smile. “Why'd you come here?”

Loki smiled faintly. “Last time I appeared, I arrived with seven Chitauri trying to kill me and you did not throw me out after they also tried to kill you. I thought, seeing as I was coming alone this time by choice, that perhaps you would be inclined to let me rest and heal once more.”

“What do I get in return?” Tony asked as he grabbed a wash cloth. He dipped it into the water and then held it against Loki's cheek, which was bruised and blistered. Loki groaned softly, leaning his head into the touch.

“You get the honor of my company once more and another debt owed... Did your hovercraft fly?” 

Tony grinned, “It did.”

“Good... I thought it might work. I found a small Chitauri cruiser in my travels and procured that for you. Changed its frequency slightly so that it would work for you.”

“Yeah, we noticed Bruce can't fly it,” Tony said, dipping the cloth back into the water and holding it now against Loki's neck. He wondered just how much damage Loki could take before dying.

“Each hovercraft is synched into a specific Chitauri, to stop the enemy being able to use their own crafts against them. All their technology is the same. I synchronised it into your body's own energy beat. If you do the same with something for Dr Banner, it might work. It is a circuit of flesh and technology...” Loki lifted his hand and tapped Tony's arc reactor with an icy finger, “Something you should know about.”

Tony looked at him thoughtfully, “That makes sense I suppose... So you're blue?”

Loki smiled a bit, “These days, sometimes. Has Thor told you the origin of my birth?”

“That you were born to the Frost Giants? Yeah he mentioned, I didn't get it, but now I do seeing the blue skin... The red eyes are kind of freaky.”

Loki laughed a little, “I find the whole form distasteful, but it serves its purpose usually when I hide on Jotunhiem... However, the Fire Demons have forged an uneasy alliance with the Frost Giants of late. They wish to kill me too, they also wish to take over Asgard and they wish to reclaim that which Odin stole from them. The Eternal Flame and the Casket of Ancient Winters.”

Loki sighed softly, his head leaning against the back of the tub. “When I am done with the bath, I need to sleep. Am I asking too much to ask that you help me to bed?”

“No, you're not asking too much. You look like shit, I want to make sure you don't cause yourself more injury and have to stay longer.” Tony grinned and Loki smiled.

“Thank you... somehow I do not mind being in _your_ debt,” Loki said, opening his eyes to look at him. “If there is another project you need assistance with, let me know and I shall try to provide.”

Tony nodded, “Alright, I will.”

~*~*~*~

Loki remained in the cold bath for about an hour before telling Tony to drain the water. He turned back to his normal Aser form, which was covered in bruises. Tony also noticed his arm was hanging at a funny angle and helped him pop his shoulder back into its socket, something he'd had done on a few occasions. He helped Loki into bed before walking back out into the living room, cleaning up the spatter of blood on the wooden floor from where Loki had landed.

Tony wondered what else to do when he remembered a few things which really made the decision for him. So he went off back down into the Avengers' suite, to the room he knew Fandral was staying in. He used the security override to sneak inside and close the door behind him, finding Fandral asleep in bed.

“Fandral?”

The Asgardian woke with a start and sat up, looking at Tony with a confused expression. “Sir Stark?”

“It's just 'Tony', Fandral... I have a question.”

“And you came in at midnight to ask this burning question?”

“It's important,” Tony said. “Do you have a golden apple on you?”

Fandral looked at him suspiciously, “I might... why?”

“You know how you said you'd like to help Loki? Well... What if I told you I know he's hurt, I know he needs help, and I know a guy that can get a golden apple to him?”

Fandral frowned, “And why would _you_ wish to help Loki?”

“He's helping me with a few projects, providing me with Chitauri technology so I can fix up some of the hovercrafts and stuff we have in my lab. We suspect the Chitauri are still en-route to Earth and we need to be ready for them. He's providing me with resources to fix this stuff, and I provide him with things he needs... like a golden apple.”

Fandral still looked dubious, but he got out of bed and went to the bag he'd brought with him. Tony noticed it was a similar style backpack to the one that Loki had brought with him. He pulled out the golden apple and tossed it to Tony.

“Do not eat of it yourself, Midgardian. If Odin knew I gave you that... and why... It does not bear thinking about.”

“I promise it's not for me. But you need to promise not to tell anyone that you gave me this, or that I'm in contact with Loki. The Avengers want him taken into custody, but I don't, it wouldn't end well for anyone to get in his way.”

“That I believe,” Fandral said. “When he saw us he was furious, but instead of attacking us like we expected, he ran. Sif said she knew a coward when she saw one, I disagree. Please... if you speak with him, tell him if he needs my assistance, I will provide it if I can.”

“I'll let him know... thanks Fandral.” 

Tony walked out of Fandral's room, wondering just why he was willing to risk quite so much for Loki. He supposed he'd get an answer when asking Loki himself, after all, he was going to need to explain just where he'd gotten the apple from.

~*~*~*~

Loki slept for seventeen straight hours. Tony felt it was an impressive amount of sleep and when he got up the next day, and made his way stiffly into the living room, Tony was impressed with how much the burns had faded. However, Loki was clearly still in pain. Without looking behind him, Tony threw the apple and Loki caught it, giving it a very surprised look.

“Where on Midgard did you get this?”

“Guy called Fandral, downstairs. Thor went to see Jane, and Fandral and I had a bit of a chat about you. He said he wishes you'd have gone to see him... and by the way, that guy wears guilt like I wear sarcasm.”

Tony turned to look at Loki and saw a sort of exasperated expression on the God of Mischief's face.

“What?” Tony asked him.

“Fandral is a fool... but I am grateful he parted with this for me. You have no idea how much trouble he might have found himself in had your curiosity got the better of you and you'd eaten it.”

“I'll admit it was a close call. If you'd slept much longer I might have had a nibble,” Tony said with a grin. He got up and walked over to the couch where Loki had decided to sit. “So, why is he willing to stick his neck out for you?”

Loki looked at Tony and then back to the apple in his hand, as if it was a fascinating study. “It is complicated.”

“A lot of stuff is complicated,” Tony said.

“True,” Loki agreed and began to eat the apple. “Fandral is my friend, or he was... He and I had an 'arrangement'.”

“Arrangement?”

“We were friends who would have sex on occasion,” Loki said, looking thoughtful. “He had been resistant to my advances when I was younger because he did not wish me to 'fall in love and have my heart broken',” Loki rolled his eyes at that. “I explained quite calmly that I wanted to fuck him, I didn't want to marry him. As it turned out, _he_ is the one who fell in love and had his heart broken by me. I thought we had an understanding, but about five years ago it all blew up in our faces. I miss my friend... but we took a break from each other so that we could salvage our friendship in years to come. Unfortunately, in the middle of all this, Thor was banished, I took the throne and...” Loki sighed, “As I said, it is complicated.”

“It's hard when things don't work out,” Tony said. “You know Pepper and I broke up?”

Loki looked at him, “No, I did not... Why?”

“She couldn't cope with me being Iron Man. She watched me fly into that portal you opened and when I fell back to earth she realised she can't watch me do that to myself. I asked her to marry me and she said no.”

“It is difficult when you think you have shown all your truth to someone, only to find they were seeing what they wanted to see,” Loki said. “Fandral saw in me a man he wished to marry... when he knew it was not the case. Pepper saw in you a man she loved, but could never marry, which she should have seen from miles away. Even _I_ can see you are not the 'settling down' type.”

Tony grinned, “No, I'm really not.”

A companionable silence fell between them and Tony wondered what it said about his psyche that he found Loki better company than almost anyone else right now. He was interesting; Loki was a different man than he had thought he was, a man with layers. Sure you might need to go through six layers of crazy before getting to normal, but normal was frankly fucking boring.

“Fandral asked me to tell you if you ever need help that he can provide, you can go to him.”

Loki nodded a little, “Tell him I will think about it... For now I am going to eat my apple and watch some of this television, like you showed me last time. Is there anything interesting on?”

“Should be something interesting on Discovery. JARVIS, find something, a documentary or something that might interest Loki.”

“There is a Discovery channel documentary regarding Norse myths currently playing.”

“Oh yeah put that on, hell I might find that one interesting.”

JARVIS changed the channel as Tony went to call for a pizza - no, two pizzas - and then came back to watch the documentary with Loki, who eventually fell asleep with his head on Tony's shoulder. Tony sat quietly, watching TV and playing with his tablet, before Loki woke and Tony helped him back off to bed.

That night Tony had a really good sleep and he didn't really understand why.


	5. God of Flesh

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I see someone I want and I go and I have them, and I make sure that I am the best thing they have _ever_ had. Asgardians and Midgardians called me the God of Mischief and Lies, the Elves call me the God of Flesh and Lies.”

**Chapter 5** God of Flesh

The next morning Tony found Loki up first, and a rather obscene stack of pancakes waiting for him. “How many pancakes do you think I can eat?”

“I wasn't sure, I don't particularly pay attention to you while you eat.” Tony noticed now that Loki was sitting in front of his computer console and had various search engines open.

“What are you reading?”

“Norse Mythology... The Vikings have some colourful renditions of the scrapes Thor and I got into as boys. Apparently my wolf, Fenrir, was my son... The villagers often joked about him being my son, as we were so close, but Fenrir was more a brother to me than a son.”

“I meant to ask what happened to him, Thor told us the story of when you and he found him.”

“He died,” Loki said sadly. “A fire demon killed him on a foolhardy excursion of my brother's.” Loki's voice had a bitter bite to it, clearly Thor was still on his 'list of people I should like to pummel.'

“He was my familiar, we had a strong bond... I am looking into getting a new familiar for the next stage of my plan, but that is neither here nor there right now. Right now I am reading a story from one Marcy Gray, whom tells anyone that would listen that 'Tony Stark rocked her world', whatever that means.”

Tony walked over to the computer and laughed, “Oh, that's the blonde from a week ago...”

“She looks boring,” Loki commented and looked to Tony. “ _Was_ she boring?”

“Meh, she scratched an itch,” Tony said.

“Oh, what a riveting review,” Loki said amused. “If _ever_ I heard myself described in that manner, I would go drown myself in the Iving.”

Tony laughed at the expression on Loki's face, clearly Loki thought he was something special in bed.

“I amuse you?”

“Yes, you amuse me,” Tony said. “You must have a very high opinion of yourself if you think you're _that_ good.”

“Good has nothing to do with it, I am that _bad_ ,” Loki said with the same wicked grin, and there was that pride again. That confidence that Tony had seen during Loki's failed bid to take over Earth. “Thor was always the _good_ one, the one who courted and wooed the women of Asgard. I was the one who laid with both men and women, and did as I pleased. I see someone I want and I go and I have them, and I make sure that I am the best thing they have _ever_ had. Asgardians and Midgardians called me the God of Mischief and Lies, the Elves call me the God of Flesh and Lies.”

Tony rose an eyebrow, “God of Flesh, huh?”

“Yes,” Loki said, and his gaze was now fully upon Tony. “Is this woman the first you laid with after Pepper?”

Tony nodded, “Yeah.”

“And the last you laid with after her?”

“So far,” Tony conceded.

He was caught rather off guard when Loki stood quick as lightening and grabbed him into a searing kiss. It knocked Tony slightly off balance, but Loki caught him around the waist, pulling him closer.

“Holy shit,” Tony breathed as Loki broke the kiss.

“ _I_ can do more than 'scratch your itch'.” Loki's teeth found Tony's earlobe, then paused as a thought seemed to occur to him. “Or do you not lay with men?”

“I do sometimes,” Tony said, and at these words Loki swung him around to lean back against the computer table. He kissed Tony's neck and throat, grinding their hips together, gaining a moan. “Oh fuck Loki...”

“The question is... do I take you right here, or do we find our way to a bedroom?”

Tony felt somewhat dizzy. This had been completely unexpected, but the way his cock was responding it wasn't completely unwelcome, no matter how crazy it happened to be.

“This isn't a good idea...” Tony said, without bothering to try and push Loki away as his fingers slipped under his shirt. “I have pancakes to eat.”

“I hear they are easily reheated,” Loki murmured against his skin. “And I hear no proper protest or reason.”

Tony scrabbled around his mind for a reason, it appeared that the promise of a good hard fuck had chased away most of his coherent thoughts. “Because... you're... you're just... you're _Loki_. You know, you tried to take over the world. You're fucking _crazy_ and – Oh God...”

“And you're the authority on sanity now, are you?” Loki asked, his tone quite conversational as he groped Tony through his trousers.

Tony snorted, Loki had a valid point and his snort of amusement turned to a groan as Loki's fingers ran over his nipples. Tony leaned his head back a bit as Loki kissed his neck. He thought about it, trying to keep his mind on the problem, as Loki's hands continued their masterful work, it was difficult. 

“Tell me the truth,” Loki said softly in Tony's ear, grinding against him once more. “Do you want me?”

Tony closed his eyes, “Yes.”

“Do you want me to stop?” he asked, a hand slipping inside Tony's trousers.

“Oh _fuck_ no,” Tony said, flexing his hips a bit to meet Loki's hand. He cursed himself for his absolute inability to say no to sex, even mediocre sex he had a hard time saying 'no' to, and who was _he_ to turn away the God of Flesh? Wouldn't that be like chasing away his patron saint? 

“Then we are in agreement,” Loki said. “Bedroom or here?”

“Bedroom.”

“Predictable, but I suppose it would be more comfortable,” Loki said, pulling Tony towards him so that they were standing flush. “I promise you will enjoy yourself.”

“Hey, you're in for the ride of your life,” Tony said, then somewhat regretted that particular phrasing as Loki grinned at him. They walked together to the bedroom, Loki all but throwing Tony onto the bed, and Tony was impressed by how quickly the Asgardian had healed. He wondered just how _magic_ the golden apples were if Loki was this healed already.

“Let's get these troublesome clothes out of the way, hmm?” Loki purred. With a flick of Loki's wrist, Tony found himself lying naked on the bed and he looked at Loki's naked form standing in front of him. He was precisely the sort of guy Tony went for. He was taller, which was something he could overlook in a male lover better than a female one. He was lithe and he had an athletic body. His best male fling to date had been with an Australian sprinter who'd actually won a gold medal in the Olympics a couple of years before. Tony's had been one of the companies to sponsor him. It was good PR and also a good excuse for him to go see him run from time to time, and then fuck.

“You look good enough to eat,” Tony said as Loki crawled over top of him. Loki smiled and ran a hand over Tony's chest, his skin tingling in its wake and his hand paused at the arc reactor.

Tony tensed a bit, he was a little wary of anyone touching it, and Pepper had always been a little grossed out by it. The blonde from the bar hadn't really been bothered, but he'd worn his shirt through the whole thing to try and hide it a bit. It came as a surprise when he felt Loki's wet tongue run along the edge of the reactor, before he settled on biting around Tony's nipple, sending goosebumps over his skin. 

“You taste of energy, Stark.” Loki kissed a trail up his chest before finally kissing him deeply, taking his time, exploring Tony's mouth before kissing along his jaw. “You taste of Scotch and energy and something sweet... delectable.”

Loki apparently liked to talk and Tony liked dirty talk once in a while, but Loki's words were like art. Every word well thought through, every syllable punctuated with an action; a twist of his hips against Tony's, a nip, a caress. Loki explored all of Tony's body, keeping well away from the area that was almost _demanding_ attention.

“Loki...” Tony groaned, lifting his hands to tangle in the God's hair, “I'm _aching_ here.”

“Not quite yet,” Loki purred again. “It has been over 18 months since I have had sex, Stark, I intend to enjoy it.”

“Oh... God...”

“So some call me.” Loki grinned and kissed him deeply before he could protest. 

It was a most delicious form of torture, and on it continued. Tony lost count of how many minutes passed and how many times Loki 'accidentally' brushed against his now swollen cock, causing his breath to hitch with each touch. 

“ _Please_ , Loki...” Tony pleaded and Loki seemed to take pity on him.

He pulled back a little, looking down at Tony, his expression haughty as he commanded, “Show me that gorgeous hole of yours.”

Tony flushed, more turned on by the words than he had any right to be as he lifted his legs, holding them in place with his hands. Loki still refused to touch his cock, and he knew he wasn't supposed to touch himself either, so he waited to see how Loki would take pity on him, praying for a good hard fuck.

He felt Loki's tongue first and then groaned deeply as the God of Flesh began to tongue fuck him. He wanted more, he wanted Loki to fuck him and God help him he knew it was going to be explosive.

“Fuck me Loki... God, please fuck me.”

The relief as Loki replaced his tongue with a finger, and then two, was immeasurable. Tony heard Loki groan as he rocked his hips.

“Oh you are _very_ turned on,” Loki breathed, settling between Tony's legs. He pushed the fingers in and then out, in and back out again. 

“ _More_ ,” Tony breathed.

There were no more words from Loki, he simply coated his cock in lube and settled against Tony's entrance, pushing just the head of his cock in and back out. Tony moaned, bearing down against him and Loki pushed forward, sheathing himself to the hilt. Tony groaned deeply, throwing his head back as the pleasant burn of stretching ran through him. He felt Loki pause to let him adjust and then he began to fuck Tony hard.

Tony couldn't help himself as he reached his hand down to stroke himself, but Loki gripped both of his hands in his own, stopping him from touching his cock. He angled his hips a little and Tony saw stars, every time he pushed in or pulled out, Loki slammed into his prostate. He wasn't going to last much longer, and when he was just on the cusp of coming, Loki reached between his legs and stroked him hard.

He came with a hoarse cry, and it was easily one of the best fucks he'd had, one of the hardest times he'd ever come. Loki thrust a few more times and with a deep groan he leaned forward as he came as well, biting Tony's arm to muffle the shout that followed after.

Loki flopped down onto the bed on his front beside Tony, his dark hair was plastered to his face, sweat covering his body. He looked absolutely gorgeous like that, and Tony mused how he wouldn't mind doing this again. But later in the day of course, after he'd had his pancakes.

They stared at each other for a few minutes, catching their breath, and Loki grinned at him. “You make such pretty begging noises... I should like to do this again.”

“Me too,” Tony said before he could stop himself. “It was really good...”

Loki nodded, “Yes, it was... You take direction very well, though next time I might bind your arms above your head if you try and touch yourself again when I haven't given permission.”

Tony would be lying if he said that didn't appeal to him, and Loki seemed to catch the look on his face as he laughed.

“Breakfast, Stark,” Loki said. “We can have sex again later on, but I daresay you will need a brief cooling off period. You are going to hurt tomorrow.”

“Yeah, probably, but I don't care,” Tony said with a grin. “You're right about the breakfast, though.”

He slowly got off the bed, pulling on a pair of sweats as he went out to grab his pancakes and come back to bed, and that was how he and Loki spent the rest of their morning; eating pancakes and watching TV.

~*~*~*~

Loki remained in Tony's bed for the rest of his two day stay. Tony hadn't minded, it got him some mind blowing sex. He told Loki he was considering starting up a God of Flesh church, which had made Loki laugh. 

The two days they spent together were mostly filled with having sex and talking a little. Loki didn't give _too_ much away with his emotions, but he did talk about times he had spent with Thor when he was a boy, and the fights he'd gotten into with Amora over the years. 'Crazy psychotic bitch, steer clear of her special kind of crazy', was essentially what Tony got from the conversation.

In the middle of the first night, Tony had asked Loki to come down to the lab so he could take a scan of him, and it provided him with a whole bunch of data. After the scan, he and Loki went back to bed, where Loki told Tony he'd show him just why he was called 'silver tongue'.

After Loki had left, Tony went back down to the Avengers' suite, and he knew he was walking stiffly. Through their whole sex marathon Loki had refused to let Tony fuck him. He had stated, “It takes time for me to trust another with _that_ particular privilege... we can do anything else.”

Tony couldn't complain too much as Loki had been as good as his word. He let Tony take the lead and Tony had 'bottomed from the top', which he was always a fan of. It gave Loki an excellent position to stroke his cock and run his fingers up his lower back, and also to smack his arse - which he had never expected to like - but when Loki did it, he enjoyed it.

When he woke to find Loki gone and another note in his place, Tony was disappointed to see he'd left, but there was another promise to repay his hospitality. Tony wondered just what Loki would decide to repay him with this time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone as always for your comments. It's nice to know people are enjoying something and I'm not deluded :P Makes a girl feel all warm and fuzzy inside. As always the next chapter will be up next weekend, hopefully see you then!
> 
> Ta!


	6. Malibu Living

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony is called away on business to Malibu for a charity event. Loki decides to drop in with some unusual cargo.

**Chapter 6**  
Malibu Living

The go-between that Pepper had hired had turned out to be pretty good. He was prompt, he was efficient, and he was good at directing Tony where he needed to go now he was back at work. He was currently at his house in Malibu, dealing with some business that was going on, and he had a charity event he needed to attend in about a week. So Tony had decided that a change of scene would be good for himself.

Fury had been pissed with him going across the country, but he reminded Fury that he still had a life, still had a company to run, and the Avengers' Suite was still occupied by Thor, Steve, Natasha, Clint, Bruce, and now Fandral, who had stuck around for a while. Fury had sighed and just asked him to get back ASAP.

It was weird being in the Malibu house without Pepper. Pepper had always been with him at this house, and right now he was alone except for JARVIS. He felt just a little lonely; in New York he could go bug the Avengers if he wanted, but here it was just him. 

He went out on the first day he was there, but got followed around most of the day by paparazzi, which just bothered the hell out of him. So he found his way back to his house and spent most of the day in his workroom, with a new suit design. 

“Sir, an alarm has sounded at your New York apartment. Loki has dropped by.”

Tony looked up, “Don't sound the alarm for anyone to hear. Is he hurt?”

“He and his egg look fine, sir.”

“His what? Never mind, put me on the speaker and pull up a video feed.” 

A video feed of his New York penthouse came up, showing the living room. Tony knew he would be displayed on the Television in the main room, and Loki looked at the screen with some confusion.

“Stark? Where are you?” 

Loki didn't look injured, his armor looked a little singed but other than that he looked fine. He also had an egg the size of a watermelon in his hands.

“I'm in Malibu,” Tony said, “You can teleport here, right?”

Loki closed his eyes for a moment and then nodded. “Yes, I can discern your location... I never thought to check before dropping in here, you've been here the past two times. I was also in a rush, had to get out of Vanahiem with my cargo.” He gently patted the egg, then suddenly he was gone from the screen and his voice was behind Tony.

“It is _hot_ here,” Loki said, his tone less than impressed. “Though the dragon should enjoy it...”

Tony gave the egg a dubious look, “Dragon?”

“It will just be a little dragon... Until she grows up, then I can ride her. I did tell you I was going to get a new familiar. Do you have somewhere hot that I can keep the egg, or something that I can set a fire up in? Dragon eggs require high heats to incubate properly.”

Tony pointed at the fireplace, which was there almost completely for show, and Loki set the egg in the centre, setting the fire at an appropriate temperature. After finishing with that, he stepped back, pulling off his armor and depositing it in a chair.

“JARVIS, would you cool the room down a bit? Loki looks like he's about to melt.”

Loki smiled a bit as the room cooled, “Much better.”

“So how long are you gracing me with your presence this time?” Tony asked.

“I was thinking about two weeks, if you can manage it. I was also thinking it was about time I had a little fun.” He looked to the egg in the fireplace, “The egg will hatch in a week or so. Dragons wake during the day and sleep most of the night, we could go out and have some fun.”

“Go out?” Tony asked dubiously, “I don't know if that's a good idea.”

As he said it, Loki's appearance switched seamlessly to that of a slightly shorter, red haired man with blue eyes, and he walked towards him. “This form wouldn't be noticed...” and then the male form switched to a female one and she grinned, “Or this... In fact, I could switch it up every night, and we could rub it _right_ in Pepper's nose. You're over her and you're out to party.”

A smile spread across Tony's face, maybe it was petty, but maybe he just didn't care. And the thought of going out to dinner with the God of Mischief in disguise was just too hilarious not to do.

“That sounds great,” Tony said as Loki turned back to his normal form, grinning back.

“Excellent, I should like to see a little bit of Midgard from your view. I heard from some people that Malibu has an excellent 'night life'.”

Tony nodded, “It does. I want to be seen out with a girl tonight, it'll cause less of a ruckus in the morning. I'm sure I have something of Pepper's around here that you can wear so we can go buy you some clothes that'll fit.”

Loki grinned as Tony led him off to find something for him to wear.

~*~*~*~*~

They spent the first day out with Loki in a male form, shopping for some clothes that might look good, and they bought a variety of expensive and casual clothes. That first night they went out to a really nice cocktail bar, making sure to give the paparazzi some really nice shots of Loki's hand on Tony's thigh, and him leaning in to whisper sweet nothings in 'Laura's' ear.

After they went back to the Malibu house, Loki switched back to his male form so they could have some mind blowing sex again. Loki found buttons to press that Tony didn't know existed. He used a spell to set a magic cock ring around Tony's cock and fucked him until he could barely breathe, driving him to that line between pleasure and pain.

Or: After they'd slept, and on waking Tony ordered in breakfast. He told Loki that for enough money anywhere would deliver, and most of the places in Malibu would deliver to him as he was rich enough and always gave a great tip.

They spent the morning lounging around the living room, watching Television and napping. Then Tony spent some time looking at the egg, and he just couldn't resist asking about it further.

“Oh, I wanted a flying mount for what I am trying to achieve, and a mount that can become as smart as Fenrir was without me having to feed it a Golden Apple.” He looked at the egg as Tony sat back beside him, leaning into his side. “The dragon I stole her from was most unimpressed.”

“I can imagine... Wait, you know it's a she?”

“Yes, the eggs are larger. Female dragons are always larger than the males and they are easier to ride, I look forward to meeting her when she hatches. I hope she'll be a dark colour, her mother was black.”

After their talk about the dragon, they got ready to go out again, and this time Tony found himself on the arm of a tall brunette man with blue eyes. The paparazzi went nuts, especially when Tony found himself accosted outside of one of the clubs by 'James', kissing him full on the lips.

The next night he had Melissa on his arm, a blonde girl with a lot of cleavage, and the paparazzi didn't seem to know what to make of it all. Three days was all Loki had been there for so far, and as he walked into the night club with Loki and smiled at the cameras, he couldn't help thinking that the rest of Loki's stay was going to be a lot of fun.  
~*~*~*~

The next morning his phone rang and he frowned, it was frankly an ungodly hour of the morning. He picked the phone up, frowned and put it to his ear as Loki slid up behind him, nuzzling his neck.

“Hello?”

“Hey Tony, you trying to give Pepper an aneurysm or something?” Rhodey sounded amused and exasperated all at the same time. “Since when do you date guys so publicly?”

“Since I got pissed off with Pepper. She never did like it when I brought a guy home.”

Rhodey laughed, “You're an ass... So are you free later today? I'm in Malibu, wondered if you wanted to go out, see if you can pick me up some girls?”

Tony felt Loki smile behind him. “That sounds like fun,” Loki said softly.

“You got a guy there now?” Rhodey asked, rather surprised. “You never _sleep_ beside your conquests.”

“He's not a conquest,” Tony said and relaxed as Loki's arm snaked around his waist. “He's a friend and there are benefits.”

“Well, do you and your friend with benefits want to grab lunch? What's this guy's name anyway?”

“Liam,” Tony said automatically and felt Loki laugh behind him as he silently cursed himself.

“Wait, Liam? As in the guy you're getting all your special tech from? _That_ Liam?”

“No, a _different_ Liam,” Tony said and tried to keep the sarcasm to a minimum.

“Alright man, I'll come by in an hour to pick you up.”

“An hour? Wait, what time is it?”

“Eleven. So an hour, you and Liam better be ready.”

Tony hung up the call and turned to look at Loki. “So _Liam_ is it?” Loki asked as he was facing Tony. The amusement in his tone and his eyes was infectious and Tony felt himself smile.

“Yeah, Liam.”

“Is this the story you told me you told Bruce coming back to 'bite you in the ass'?”

“Not if you play your part properly,” Tony said with a smile.

Loki leaned over him, kissing him softly. “So...” he said, “What does this 'Liam' look like?”

“I dunno... I've never given him much of a physical description in my head.”

“What would you _want_ him to look like?” Loki asked.

“Like you,” Tony said without thinking. His eyes closed as Loki kissed his neck, “You're pretty fucking hot you know.”

Loki paused in what he was doing and Tony opened his eyes again. Their gazes met for a few seconds and Loki asked quietly, “You know I can change my shape to anything and yet you would prefer me as I am?”

“Yeah,” Tony said. “If you haven't already noticed, the past few nights I've wanted you back in that form. You're the one I'm sleeping with...” Tony closed his eyes as Loki kissed his stomach.

“Tony... you... surprise me at times.”

“You surprise me too,” Tony said and groaned as Loki wrapped his mouth around his cock. Loki licked and sucked and moved his hands over Tony's stomach, getting him off in record time before moving up to kiss him on the lips while Tony's hand worked Loki's cock. Both satisfied, they headed to the shower to get ready for their lunch with Rhodey.

~*~*~*~*~*

For lunch Loki had opted for dark brown hair and eyes, sweeping part of his hair out of his eyes with a pair of Tony's expensive sunglasses. It looked good on him with the blue shirt and black waistcoat, along with the skinny jeans. Tony mused that Loki could wear anything he liked and pull it off, he was just _that_ kind of guy.

He still looked like Loki, mostly, but Tony knew that the colour change and the slight change to his features would be enough to send anyone off the scent. It could be a passing similarity, nothing more.

Lunch with Rhodey was interesting to say the least. Rhodey spent a little while trying to get information out of 'Liam', but eventually gave up and bought him a drink, telling him if anyone ever asked he'd claim they'd never met. 'Liam' gave the same promise before sliding a little closer to Tony.

As Loki went off to use the bathroom after lunch, Rhodey gave Tony a really weird look.

“What?”

“You're dating him.”

Tony shook his head, “No I'm not dating him, or did you miss all the people I took home this week? I told you, he's a friend, and sometimes we have a thing.”

“Tony, that's the closest to a relationship you ever got before Pepper. You might as well be dating him,” Rhodey said. “He's... different to your type, I thought.”

“I don't have a type,” Tony argued. “Don't you go spreading it around that he and I are dating. He... he's got a reputation to keep up with his contacts. Alright?”

“Fine, fine,” Rhodey said, “I'm telling Pepper though.”

“You do that,” Tony said tensely.

“You guys still not talking?” Rhodey asked him.

“Oh we're peachy,” Tony said, “never better. The new assistant is working out great.”

“She misses you,” Rhodey said, “and I know you miss her. Listen man, if you wanted I'm sure she'd get back with-”

“Oh no, no Rhodey,” Tony said. “She left me and I won't go back to her. If I did, we'd end up resenting each other. I'd resent her inability to be okay with me being Iron Man and she'd resent me for picking that over her. We'd have kids and what? She'd need to worry about telling them 'daddy blew himself up saving the world.' She's right, we're no good together. We need to break it off and move on with our lives.”

“Into Liam's bed?”

“Sure, why not? He's hot, he makes some mean pancakes, and he has a great sense of humor. He makes me laugh and I can be myself around him. He's genuinely curious about the stuff I invent, and he's got the intelligence and resources to help me out with it from time to time.”

The little list of things he liked about Loki caught him somewhat off guard, he realised he meant all of them. He did like when Loki was around, he felt that Loki was an intellectual equal and Loki seemed really happy too. He seemed, around him at least, like the young man - the brother - that Thor remembered. He was suddenly aware of Rhodey giving him a look, and he realised he had a sappy smile on his face.

“Not dating my _ass_ ,” Rhodey murmured and got a coaster thrown at his head for it just as Loki sat back down.

“Let's not maim the guy from the military, huh Tony?” Loki said with a smile.

Tony smiled a bit as the waitress brought their bill and they left the restaurant together, Rhodey giving Tony amused looks all the way home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for the comments and Kudos. I had a lot of fun with this chapter and the next. Again update will be next weekend. Thank you for reading and leaving comments they really do make my day!


	7. Stark Lokidottir

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki's egg hatches.

**Chapter 7**  
Stark Lokidottir

The day after their lunch with Rhodey, Tony woke to an excited Loki pulling him out of bed like it was Christmas morning. He sleepily made his way to the living room and noticed just what had the God of Mischief so excited. The egg that had been sitting baking in the fire for just over six days was beginning to hatch.

Tony smiled and made his way to the kitchen to put some coffee on to brew. He brought back two cups and sat with Loki on a cushion in front of the fire, watching the egg as a snout appeared in a crack. Loki moved forward, cooing softly to the egg as the dragon nosed its way out and Loki finally plucked her from the shell.

Tony smiled as Loki held the baby dragon in his arms. She was bright red, a colour that neither he nor Loki had anticipated, but Loki didn't seem to care about that. The dragon nuzzled against him as he conjured some flames for her to nuzzle and he looked to Tony, “I'll need raw meat for her to eat. You can get some delivered can't you?”

“What kind of raw meat?”

“Anything really, chickens, cow, boar, swine. Dragons are not overly fussy; they like their meals cooked, but they learn to do that with their fire breath. I'll cook it for her until we need to leave in a week or so. I want her at flying strength before we go.”

“What are you going to call her?”

“I don't know...” Loki said, looking down at the dragon. He set her on the ground and she began to move around as best she could. She was an awkward little thing on the ground, but Tony knew she'd be quite something when she could fly. She had five limbs: two strong back legs to launch from the ground, a long tail, and two front arms that also had her wings attached. From the look of her back, to ride her Loki would need some sort of saddle.

Tony wondered if he might be able to design something when she was full grown.

“Well she's red...” Loki mused, “Starburst?”

“That's a bit pretentious...”

“Well I find red is a pretentious colour,” Loki retorted. “Also, it speaks of overconfidence to me; my brother is fond of red.”

“So am I,” Tony said defensively. “Red's a great colour.”

Loki looked at the dragon and grinned, “I know, I shall call her 'Stark'.”

Tony laughed and smiled fondly as Loki picked up the dragon. “Come on Stark, I'll give you a tour of your nest.”

“Can I scan her?” Tony asked as he followed Loki.

“Once we've finished our tour, certainly, if you trust a fire breathing dragon in your workshop.”

“Hmm... On second thought, we'll try when she's older and you have more control over her.”

“Probably a better idea,” Loki agreed and began his tour of the house.

~*~*~*~

Stark Lokisdottir grew at a somewhat alarming rate and ate a ridiculous amount of food. The first day - at the size of a cat - she ate what amounted to an entire pig, by the second day she was the size of a golden retriever and Tony wasn't sure how such a little creature could put away so much food. 

Thankfully Loki had gotten the idea of 'do your business outside' into her head quite easily and she happily trotted out and back in. Tony just prayed that she didn't try to fly, since catching her would not be fun and having her sighted would be a nightmare to deal with. 'I got a guy' could only cover so much for the weird shit he could get.

The third day after Stark hatched Loki requested that they play chase together, but he wanted Tony in his suit. So they went to the basement of the Malibu house, which was now empty since he'd moved his workshop to New York, and they began to play chase with Stark. She was getting bold, trying to fly. She could leap and glide, though she couldn't get much in the way of airtime, but Loki seemed pleased with her progress.

Later that night Tony and Loki sat together on the couch in the living room, Stark on the floor sleeping deeply on a pile of cushions Tony had provided for her. She was quickly getting to the size of a Great Dane and Tony wondered how big she'd be when she was full size, then he realised he had the right person beside him to ask.

“Oh, she'll be about the size of a large pony or a small horse,” Loki said. “Large enough to ride comfortably in the air, provided I have a proper saddle for her. The spines are not comfortable to sit on.”

Tony smiled a bit, “No, I don't imagine they would be.”

“So, in a couple of days she should be big enough and strong enough to fly. When that happens I'll be leaving again...” Loki looked to Tony, “I am finding it nice to have a place where I do not constantly have to wonder if I will be killed.”

“Where will you go with her?”

“Vanahiem, to the Dragon Plains. She'll grow ever stronger and larger with my help.”

“If you bring her back when she's full grown, I can get a saddle made up for you.”

Loki smiled, “That would be helpful, thank you. I owe you much...”

“You owe me nothing,” Tony said. “You provide me with good company and sex, and surprising as it might be you're becoming a friend. I do anything I can for my friends.”

A companionable silence fell between them once more until Stark sneezed, shooting out a small jet of fire, and Loki grinned.

“Oh good, her fires are beginning. I should take her outside, it might get messy.”

Loki handed his glass of wine off to Tony and he led Stark outside. Tony watched from the window as Loki turned himself into a dragon. He was a great black beast with green wings and green eyes, and he was quite magnificent. He spat a jet of fire out over the ocean and Stark followed suit, clearly keen to impress Loki.

He wondered briefly what went on inside the young dragon's head. If she knew what she was, if she understood that Loki wasn't the same as she was. He smiled as Stark climbed onto Loki's back and it occurred to him how much Loki seemed to mother the little dragon. He supposed that's how she saw him then.

Tony headed off to bed, safe in the knowledge that Loki would follow soon after and if he was asleep, he knew Loki would wake him; it wouldn't be the first time Tony fell asleep to be awoken a few hours later with Loki between his legs.

He looked forward to that.

~*~*~*~

As Tony checked his messages the next morning, he found he had a few from Nick Fury demanding that he get his ass back to New York. Tony just rolled his eyes, there was no way he could get back to New York immediately. He had things to do, people to see, The God of Mischief in his bed, and an adorable dragon rubbing against his leg.

“Hey Stark...” Tony said as he looked down at her, “Breakfast?” 

Stark bounded off towards the kitchen and Tony followed. She sat patiently while he pulled out the hunk of deer that the butcher had dropped off yesterday. Tony chunked it up the way Loki had shown him to and gave it to her in a large bowl.

She scarfed it down and made a pleasant trill in the back of her throat that he knew meant 'more'. So he pulled more meat out and gave her a second breakfast before she bounded off into the bedroom to wake Loki.

Tony chuckled as Loki came out of bed scowling, but he quickly brightened upon seeing Tony making pancakes.

“Did she trick you into two breakfasts again?”

“She didn't 'trick' me. I give into these things willingly. So, do you want six pancakes or eight? Who am I kidding, eight of course.”

Loki grinned, “You know me so well, Tony.”

Tony finished making the chocolate chip and banana pancakes and sat with Loki at the breakfast bar to eat them. Stark went exploring around the kitchen before pawing at the door to be let out, which JARVIS took care of.

“She's such a cat,” Tony said, watching her outside.

“A little bit,” Loki agreed. “Though far more intelligent once she's older. I am speeding her growth, she appears about six months old right now.”

“I had wondered. Is that why she's eating so much?”

Loki nodded, “Yes, the energy is pulling many resources from her, she needs to replace them with calories. All this meat must be costing you a fortune.”

“I have it to spare,” Tony waved off, “as you well know. So what's the plan for today?”

“Well... at six months old, Dragons can fly. Back down to test her flight ability and then we'll see..”

Tony frowned just a little as he had the thought that he hoped Stark wouldn't be able to fly just yet. He didn't want Loki to leave. If Loki left, he'd have nothing keeping him in Malibu and he'd need to go back to work. It was just frankly depressing.

He was glad that Loki seemed to miss the frown.

~*~*~*~*~

Stark could fly.

And boy could that dragon _fly_. She flew rings around him in the Iron Man suit. What she lacked in grace on the ground, she more than made up for in the air. Tony knew that Loki had planned to leave right away, but he asked Loki to stay one more night before going in the morning.

“Just one more night,” Tony said, “I need to go back to New York tomorrow anyway.”

Loki smiled and agreed, one more night.

That night they as lay together, Tony had a plan. It wasn't an elaborate plan, but he wanted to top Loki. In all the time they'd been having sex Loki had always managed to insinuate himself into the position of topping, and Tony didn't mind - not truly - he just wanted a chance to return the favor.

Tony kissed the inside of Loki's thigh and then took him into his mouth.

“By Asgard you have a talented mouth,” Loki said with a groan.

Tony licked him from base to tip, his mouth sucking on the head and causing Loki's hips to buck a little. His hand moved back between Loki's legs, and Loki leaned up, his hands reached down to still Tony's exploring fingers. 

“No...” he said very softly.

Tony frowned a bit, Loki had said once before at the start of their tryst that he didn't want to be topped, but he'd thought that was just pride at the time. “Why not?”

“I do not trust easily,” Loki said softly. He trailed kisses up Tony's jaw and spoke quietly in his ear, “We will do anything your heart desires, but not that. Not yet.”

Loki kissed him on the lips and Tony pulled back, looking down at him. He wanted to ask why, wanted to know what made the 'God of Flesh' shy about being topped given everything else they had already done.

“I thought you were the God of Flesh?”

Loki gave him a small smile as his hand reached down and wrapped around Tony's cock, stroking slowly.

“I am...” he said, his thumb expertly moving over the tip of Tony's cock. His hand squeesed each time it reached the head and Tony closed his eyes, groaning. “I know how to turn you on like no other. Try to deny it, I remember well the way you scream my name, the longing in your eyes as I take you time and again. The fire I make burn within you.”

“Oh Loki...” he groaned out, “I just want to return the favor.”

“I appreciate the sentiment,” Loki said softly, he pulled Tony down and kissed him gently, still stroking him. His lips nibbled on Tony's earlobe and as he spoke, his voice grew husky, “But... I need to trust you fully before I let you do that.” The soft words were so unlike Loki, there was a plea to be understood in the tone and Tony wondered briefly what had happened to make the self proclaimed God of Flesh recoil at being fucked.

The thought passed as Loki nipped at Tony's jaw with his teeth, kissing and nipping down his neck to the juncture between neck and shoulder, where he bit down harder.

“Oh _fuck_ ,” Tony hissed.

He ground down against Loki and Loki groaned. Tony pulled back and looked at Loki thoughtfully. “Anything else my heart desires? Can I touch if I don't push in?”

Loki laughed a little, “Gently, yes.”

“Then I suggest some good old fashioned 69.”

“69?” Loki asked bemusedly.

Tony moved so his head was in Loki's crotch and his own cock was in front of Loki's face.

“Ah, I see...” Loki murmured, reaching up to stroke Tony. “Yes, this is acceptable,” he added as he leaned up and took Tony into his mouth. Tony groaned and took Loki into his, and they both touched, licked, and nipped skin. Tony gingerly ran his hands down to cup Loki's balls and then behind to the skin between them and his hole. Loki tensed and stilled just a bit at the movement, but as Tony didn't go near his entrance, he relaxed and opened his legs a little to give Tony better access.

It became a competition, each trying to see who would let go first, and Tony was delighted when he won the game by sucking hard on Loki's cock and pressing hard, almost too hard, on his perineum with his thumb.

Loki stopped his own stimulation of Tony's cock as he came, it took a moment before he reached up and took Tony into his mouth once more. His fingers reached up and scratched down Tony's hips and Tony came, now no longer feeling like he needed to hold back. 

Tony moved after a few minutes to lay on Loki, who wrapped his arms around him, rubbing his back. His fingers found Tony's nape, rubbing gently, the gesture oddly tender. Tony felt his eyes close, he was both enjoying this relaxed state and finding that it just felt sort of wrong to be so relaxed in Loki's arms.

“This is weird,” Tony finally said.

“Hmm, I know what you mean,” Loki said softly, “But enjoyable...”

Tony slowly pulled back, opening his eyes to look at Loki who had his eyes closed. Tony moved forward and kissed him tenderly. It was a moment before Loki kissed him back, his hands moving to run through his hair. They kissed for a few minutes and finally Tony pulled back. This was definitely weird.

“What am I doing with you?” Tony asked.

“I don't know,” Loki said, opening his eyes to stare at him, “but I am enjoying whatever it is we're doing together. I feel... more myself than I have done in a long time with you. I need not hide anything, there is no expectation from you.”

“You either... You know what I am and I know what you are.” Tony lay his head on Loki's chest once more and sighed softly as Loki's fingers rubbed the nape of his neck.

That was how he fell asleep. In the morning when he woke to find himself in the bed alone, except for a note, he was unsurprised but disappointed. He got up, showered and then left for the airport, wondering if and when he'd see Loki again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed it, thank you for all your comments really honestly and truly they make me smile whenever they come in. :D


	8. 'Special' Apple Pie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For a job well done, what better way to celebrate than with some good old fashioned apple pie?

**Chapter 8**   
'Special' Apple Pie

Apparently while he was gone, the Viper herself had reared her head and tried to kill numerous people. Tony was sort of glad he hadn't been in his New York apartment when the shit hit the fan, as it would have left Loki home alone in his flat with a dragon. He wasn't sure Stark would like the New York apartment.

He spent an afternoon with Nick Fury as he explained HYDRA's new plans that they knew of. Apparently they had a spy in HYDRA, but Tony mused that just meant that HYDRA had spies in SHIELD for sure. He told Fury it'd be best if the Avengers worked alone in this one, with only minimal contact, and Fury seemed pissed when Steve agreed.

After his meeting with Fury, it was time to get back to the office properly. Pepper met him in his office, which had totally _not_ been the deal, but she smiled a little as she saw him. Her smile was only a little strained, unlike before.

“Hey,” she said as he walked into the office, “you got a minute?”

“Sure,” he replied, “what is it?”

“Rhodey says you're seeing someone.”

Tony sighed, why hadn't he seen this conversation coming?

“No, I'm not. Liam's just a friend.”

“ _Liam_?” she asked. “He said... Rhodey didn't say it was a guy.”

“I'm not seeing him.” Tony sat down at his computer and opened up his in-box. “He's a friend and we sleep together sometimes, alright?”

“Who is he then?” she asked, standing in front of his desk.

“He's a friend...”

“How come I've never heard of him?” Pepper asked.

“Because I never told you about him. You don't know _everything_ about my life, alright? I met him a while back, we hit it off, he's... Well he's different.”

“And why -”

“Pepper, just drop it, alright?” Tony said looking at her. “This isn't helping, you said you'd give me four months, it's barely been one.”

“I was worried about you. You were out drinking in Malibu a lot and taking people back to the house to sleep with. I just... there was no one there to help you.”

“It's fine, JARVIS has got my back,” Tony said. “ Look, Pepper, you're my ex and I don't want to get into all this, okay? Who or what I'm doing is none of your business. You left me, remember?”

Pepper huffed and pursed her lips, “Tony Stark, I don't care if you're sleeping with someone else, I just want to know you're safe.”

“I am,” he confirmed and frowned as his email system didn't want to open the file he'd sent himself from Malibu regarding the scans he'd taken of Stark. “Now if you'll excuse me, I'm rather busy. I still have two and a half months of a break before you should be talking to me. I'll see you later.”

Pepper stared at him before sighing and leaving. 

It was going to be hard being back at work, but he knew he'd get through it.

~*~*~*~*~

Tony worked in his lab on the hovercraft and got a new version made by his own fair hands in a week to work perfectly with Natasha - who seemed far too excited about having a hovercraft to use if she needed it. Bruce was working on defensive personal shielding like they'd seen on a few video games, and Tony was going over all the data he had on Stark, and there was a fair bit of it.

Thor was back in the Avengers' suite, and this time he had 'Lady Sif' and Jane with him instead of Fandral. Tony didn't much like Lady Sif, but then he'd heard Loki badmouth her a couple of times so he wondered if that was colouring his judgment of her. Jane seemed nice enough - too smart to be with Thor - but then Thor was considered good looking, and he knew plenty of scientists who had a partner that was less than bright.

Soon after he finished the hovercraft, Thor was called back to Asgard just as Viper raised her ugly head again and planted a bomb somewhere in New York. Thanks to Bruce's cunning they found the bomb before it exploded and managed to apprehend a few HYDRA agents.

On their return to the tower, Bruce wrapped Natasha's wrist and Steve was ecstatic to find two freshly baked apple pies. 

It was testament to how secure Stark Tower was that no one questioned _who_ made the apple pies. They were still warm, and as Jane came upstairs with Bruce, they all sat together and ate the pies. They were the most delicious apple pies any of them had ever tasted. Tony could smell the maple sugar, and the filling was just _delicious_ , it had a sweet cinnamon taste.

When they finished, there was a slice left and Tony wrapped it for later, deciding to give it to Pepper seeing as it was her (he assumed) that baked the pies. He assumed they had been a peace offering. She wouldn't be around until the next day and he didn't want her to miss out on it. Before leaving the kitchen he left a note with JARVIS to let her know there was some apple pie in the fridge in the Avengers' Suite for her.

He went to bed and, as far as he knew, everything was right with the world.

~*~*~

“Good morning Natasha,” Tony said as he walked into the Avengers' Suite. Natasha was sitting at the breakfast bar, her sprained wrist unbound and she was flexing it.

“How does it feel?” Tony asked as he grabbed some bacon that Jane had made.

“It feels... fine,” she said with an odd tone.

Tony paused, come to think of it he should probably be aching this morning as well. Pepper had asked him, while she ate her apple pie for breakfast, how he was doing - as he was usually a 'tension filled mess' the day after a mission - and he'd said 'excellent'.

“You know, I feel fine too. Usually I ache from top to bottom after a fight in my suit... you know, a hardcore fight.”

Steve sat down at the breakfast bar and he showed them his arm where he had been cut the day before. There wasn't a scratch on him.

“What's going on?” Steve asked.

“Jarvis, call Pepper.” Tony said, standing and moving to the panel on the wall where they made calls from. Pepper came up on the screen, she was at his own computer console.

“Pepper, that apple pie... You made it, right?”

Pepper frowned, “No... I thought Jane made it.”

Tony shook his head. “No. No, Jane didn't make it... JARVIS, where did the apple pies come from?”

“Your 'Liam', Sir.”

Tony was sort of afraid he was going to say that.

~*~*~*~*~

Loki. Loki had given them 'magical apple pie'. To what end Tony didn't know, but it would have been nice to know what he was eating.

He'd managed to dodge all the questions about 'Liam'. Then, when Thor appeared later that day, Tony was glad to see he was confused but not upset that they had all eaten Golden Apple Pie. Thor told them all that it must have been Loki whom had sold the apples to Liam, as apples went missing a few days ago from Asgard. He went back to Asgard that day to speak with the All Father about his brother's actions.

They didn't tell SHIELD, they'd want tests done and it had taken them hours to convince Steve that telling Fury was a bad idea. Even Clint and Natasha were against telling him, and they were SHIELD people too. They had no desire to be poked and prodded at.

A week went by where they acted like everything was normal, and then on a Wednesday afternoon, during a dull meeting about company finances, Tony's phone beeped and he read the text coming up.

_Loki. Living room of the penthouse._

Tony stood, Loki was there and by god was he going to have answers. “I need to duck out,” he said and walked away as Pepper gave him a death glare. He made his way quickly up to the penthouse and found Loki sitting on the couch, his head leaning back. He didn't look injured, just tired and a bit thinner than before. Loki had a necklace on with a pendant made of a red stone hanging from it and he wasn't in his armor.

“I am hungry,” Loki said without opening his eyes.

Tony glared a bit. “You fancy some apple fucking pie?”

Loki rose an eyebrow and looked at him, “You sound displeased at my gift.”

“Gift!? You should have told me what it was. You should have-”

Loki stood and walked towards him. “If I had told you, would you have eaten it and given it to the others without explanation? It was _essential_ that you _all_ ate it.”

“Why!? So that I can stick around and amuse you?”

“No, because you need to be around. Midgard needs its champions, Tony Stark, and you are one of them! I cannot protect all the nine realms on my own, I needed to know that at least Midgard was safe while I wasn't here.”

Tony frowned, what the fuck was Loki up to?

“Safe from what?” Tony asked.

“Yourselves for a start,” Loki snapped. “Your planet is the most divided of all the realms. By Asgard you have more governments than I've had meals in the past year. You blow each other up, and when _he_ comes you will be easy to destroy. Champions are needed and you need to be sturdier than your mortal forms allow. I have provided the means!”

“Fuck's sake, Loki, why didn't you tell me any of this!?”

“Because you would not have believed me! A storm is coming, something greater than anything you've faced. Greater than even Asgard has faced. I am trying to tip the scales in our, _your_ favor.”

Loki threw his hands up. “The All Father would bind my power and cast me down to Jotunhiem. I cannot allow that because I know the minute they know I am vulnerable, they will be upon me. The minute I stay still for too long, I am lost once more and will be nothing more than a tool to be used. If that happens, if I am taken and cannot continue my plan, at least Midgard has protection other than my idiot brother.”

They stood staring at each other, Tony watched Loki's face as he faced him. There was something dark in his eyes, some fear and pain. He looked just for a moment like a lost boy, and then in an instant it was gone. The shutters came down once more and Loki gave Tony a long, hard stare.

“You should have told me some of this then,” Tony said. “Even _part_ of your plan. How can I trust you otherwise?”

“You can't,” Loki said, “but I cannot give you more. There are things I am doing that are illegal for me to do, I add to the list of crimes I have because I am willing to do what _must_ be done. I am willing to look at the bigger picture and sacrifice a few lives to save billions.”

Tony frowned, _billions_ of lives?

“Loki...”

“Please...” Loki's voice was pleading, he ran his hands over his face. “Tony, please just let me rest? I will give you some answers when I have slept, it has been days since I ate or slept. Please just let me rest.”

Tony walked towards him. For an all powerful God, at times he could seem very vulnerable. Loki tensed for a moment until Tony wrapped an arm around his shoulders. “Alright...”

Loki swallowed and leaned his head on Tony's shoulder. “Tony... Why are you letting me stay here? Why are you-”

“Because... I don't know Loki. Are you complaining?”

Loki laughed, “No, I am not complaining.”

“Go sleep on my bed. Where is Stark, by the way?”

Loki smiled faintly and he picked up the crystal that hung around his neck. “She resides in here. Very complex magic to keep a familiar around like this, I have done it only once before, for Fenrir.”

Tony walked with Loki towards the bedroom and rubbed his back. “Go to bed. I'm going back down to the meeting, I'll be back up in a couple of hours.”

Loki sighed, “I have not slept in three days, nor have I eaten.”

“Tell you what, I'll make you a sandwich and leave it on the bedside table with some juice.”

Loki smiled at that and retreated into the bedroom. With him gone, Tony made his way to the kitchen and made the sandwich he'd promised. He poured out a glass of juice and then said with a sigh. “JARVIS, would you keep an eye on Loki for me? Text me if he needs anything.”

“Of course sir.”

Tony walked into the bedroom and sat the plate and glass down on the bedside table, Loki was already fast asleep. He was still looking thin, looked exhausted and ill. Tony sighed and got up, leaving the room, he'd get some answers when he came back in this evening. For now he'd need to see Pepper and explain why he ducked out of the finance meeting.

Things had slowly gotten better between him and Pepper, but they still snipped at each other occasionally. They also had returned to cheeky banter and sometimes it felt like it used to before they'd gone and fucked it up together. He'd also noticed it was becoming easier to breathe around Pepper, he no longer felt like he'd had his heart ripped out.

It was progress.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this story began one day with this chapter. It came with the idea of Loki sneaking into the Avengers tower and leaving some 'special apple pie' and watching the ensuing chaos that would come from the Avengers. 
> 
> As you can see it evolved from that. My plot bunnies come with friends...
> 
> Again, thank you all for the comments and Kudos, they just make me grin when I get them. Hope you enjoyed it, same place next week! :D xx


	9. Comfort

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some answers from the God of Mischief.
> 
> But not many.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry an update didn't happen last week. Valentines weekend, was getting geared up for a course in work, wasn't feeling too good etc etc. Oh, the wife got me a green tshirt that says 'KNEEL!' across the front in gold in honor of Loki. Was very pleased with it I was. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy the chapter!

**Chapter 9**  
Comfort

While Loki slept into the early evening, Tony contemplated the friendship they had begun to forge together. He realised that Loki seemed relaxed and happy with him because they rarely discussed anything serious. Tony knew now though that the time had come to begin picking apart the reasons why Loki was off doing what he was doing. So after dinner - which had been some excellent Japanese sashimi and sushi - Tony broached the subject.

“You owe me answers,” Tony said and Loki nodded, albeit reluctantly.

“You may have three questions about my plans and reasons, and I promise to answer them with truth or not at all,” Loki said. “I will _answer_ three questions, so if I refuse an answer you will have another question.”

Tony nodded, that seemed fair. “Okay... Why do the Chitauri wish to torture you?”

Loki sipped from the glass of water in his hand and Tony watched as he composed his answer in his head. There was so much about Loki before that had been nuts, had been a knee jerk reaction to the baiting the Avengers did (like throwing Tony out the window). This Loki? This Loki was thoughtful, every word he said had meaning and purpose. Tony quite liked that about him.

“I made a deal with their leader, Thanos. I was to gain them the Tesseract and they would gain me the Earth. They warned me, however, that if I did not get them what they wanted, they would find me, they would make me beg for death, and then deny me. I complied, as I'd had a taste of their torture methods when I first refused to help them in their plans.”

Tony frowned, “You didn't willingly help them?”

Loki shook his head, “No, I did not. I was just a boy, Tony...” Loki smiled faintly, “A foolish, naive boy, trying to gain his father's favour, and instead I destroyed my own life. I was unprepared for the horrors I faced; I broke, I shattered and he threaded me back together to suit his own ends. By the time I realised, by the time I had anything of myself back, it was too late. There was – is - only war.” Loki sipped his water, “That is two questions.”

“What did they do to you?”

“I refuse to answer that question,” Loki said at once.

Tony had expected that answer, but had a feeling there was more than a small trauma there. He wanted to help Loki, but he knew now was not the time to push, so he pondered for a few moments what to ask instead, and then it came to him.

“Why do you want to protect Earth?”

“Because I hope to protect that which I tried to destroy. I hope to protect Earth and in doing so protect the rest of the nine realms. Midgard is the central point, the heart of the World Tree. To claim Midgard is to find paths to the other realms with ease. Midgard cannot fall.” Loki looked at him and smiled, “That makes three... Now, I grow tired of this movie, and I grow tired of questions and answers. I believe there is a bedroom that has been grossly underused as of late.”

Tony laughed, “Can I ask you one more question?”

“By all means, but I do not promise to answer.”

“That's fine, I just wondered... who baked the apple pies?”

Loki looked mildly affronted. “ _I_ did. My mother's recipe.”

Tony tried for a moment to imagine Loki cooking, but he couldn't. All he was coming up with was the image of Loki in an apron, and _nothing_ but an apron, and it was both hilarious and enticing. He laughed hard and Loki smiled as he did.

“I amuse you?”

“You do. There is _no_ way you made those pies.”

“I did, I am a _fantastic_ pastry chef.”

“Next you'll tell me they call you the 'God of Apple Pie' on Vanaheim.”

Loki grinned, “Perhaps they do... Someone has been researching the realms.”

Tony nodded, “I have. I want to know more about them, these other places I know you've visited.”

Loki smiled a bit before moving forward to kiss him. “Perhaps another time... For now, bed. Come on.”

Tony smiled, but allowed himself to be led to bed. As Loki touched and caressed his skin, Tony knew it wasn't just release and sex he was after, it was comfort in his arms.

Tony didn't mind being his comfort.

~*~*~*~*~

In the morning Loki was still deeply asleep as Tony got out of bed. He went out into the kitchen and put on some coffee. When it was done, Tony took his coffee out onto the landing platform as he contemplated the god in his bed.

He'd learned a lot about Loki in the past few months, both from Thor and from the man himself. Thor had told him several stories of how he had gone on an adventure with Loki and if it hadn't been for his brother, often Thor and the Warriors Three would have found themselves dead. Thor had spoken of how his brother never took the lead, but liked to support his friends in battle with healing and concealment spells, and Thor had often expressed his love and the fact that he missed his brother.

Then there was the stuff he'd learned himself. He'd learned that Loki was left handed, he'd learned that Loki liked listening to piano music, and Loki had fallen in love with Beethoven's music when Tony had let him hear it. He found out that Loki loved pancakes, hated cherries, and thought television was interesting.

Tony had learned that Loki loved sarcasm and that his face lit up when he smiled or laughed. He'd also learned that Loki was intensely private, that it took a lot to get under his skin to a point where Loki felt he could trust him. Tony knew he was almost there, and he thought part of it was just Loki fearing to let go and trust someone completely.

Then there were the dark moments Tony had seen. When Loki talked of his time in the presence of the Chitauri there was this broken darkness in his eyes. The same look that filled them when they were fighting for the Earth all those months ago. Tony wanted to help him, wanted to chase away whatever caused those dark looks, wanted to make him at least _feel_ safe when with him.

As he stood on the landing platform he heard a scream from inside the penthouse. Tony dropped his mug and ran inside, into his bedroom, to find Loki tossing and turning in the throes of some nightmare.

He gripped Loki's wrists and pulled him up into a sitting position. “Loki, wake up. Come on, wake up...”

Loki opened his eyes, terror clear to see, and he leaned forward as he sought comfort from Tony. Tony closed his eyes and held Loki close, wondering what had happened to the bright, confidant man that he could see when the darkness was chased away. He wondered what the Chirtauri, and this Thanos Loki had mentioned, had done to Loki - a thousand year old man - to cause such terror.

“You're safe here,” Tony soothed, running a hand over his back, and he felt Loki still again.

“Tony...” Loki said softly, looking confused, “I should get going soon.”

“You can sleep a little longer, come on...”

Tony laid Loki back down and he ran a hand through the god's hair as he fell once more into an exhausted sleep. 

~*~*~*~

When Loki woke again later that day he didn't mention the nightmare, and Tony was inclined not to remind him of it. They ate lunch together before Loki left, this time leaving when Tony was still awake, which was a nice change.

Things got almost back to normal, well as normal as things ever were in Tony's life. SHIELD tracked Viper and Hydra to a base just outside New York, thanks to the intel they had from the people they'd caught before. They took down at least half of the Hydra cell but unfortunately, Viper herself escaped.

Jane Foster became a semi permanent fixture in the Avengers' suite. They finally told Fury about the 'Apple Pie Incident', and Tony reminded Fury that the Avengers' suite was the _Avengers_ ' suite, not the _SHIELD_ suite, no matter how much he wanted it to be.

Things went on as normal and, except for the new super strength they all had, nothing had changed. Bruce spent time in the lab, Natasha still had a deep distrust of Tony, Clint still hid in the rafters, Pepper still provided coffee, and Thor still told stories about 'that time Loki and I took down a beast' or 'the time Loki and I rescued a wolf pup named Fenrir' or 'that time Loki saved our lives by becoming a dragon and chasing away a bunch of fire demons.'

Tony listened carefully to the stories. Thor's stories about their adventures were always about him and Loki defeating something or someone. He heard no stories where Thor rode into battle alone. Thor always had Sif, the Warriors Three, and his brother by his side, or with the stories when they were both boys, it was just him and Loki.

He'd never asked questions of Thor, but now as Thor seemed to be in a reminiscing sort of mood, Tony decided to try even as Jane sat beside him.

“Thor... whenever you tell stories, you always mention Loki.”

Thor looked at Tony and smiled a little, his eyes were sad. “Yes, he was always our companion. He rode into battle with us, he followed my orders, he used his magic and healed and aided us... He and I were best friends as well as brothers.”

“What happened to change that?”

Thor looked sadly into his drink and he shrugged his shoulders. “I do not know... He had long been jealous of the attention our father gave to me. Looking back, I see how he thought father loved me more, but it wasn't true. Father just... I think he trusted Loki more than I, so he spent more time with me, trying to hone me into the man I needed to be, to be king. Loki... he was a scholar, he spent all of his time in libraries and in agility training. He was mocked from time to time as his frame is not like mine, he is not... he is just different. But the thing was, Tony Stark, my brother and I - when we fight alongside each other - there is nothing that can touch us. When we are truly in synch, we are unstoppable.”

There was a deep sadness, a guilt, in Thor's voice and Tony sighed. He wondered how it felt to have a brother hate you, to have a brother try to kill you and then try to destroy the world you had come to love. He tried to look at it from Loki's point of view as well. Loki worked on his own, didn't need to be pushed, and was cast aside simply because Thor needed more work.

It must have been a bitter pill to swallow when learning Thor was to have the throne.

“He can't have been happy that you were going to be king over him,” Tony remarked.

“He never wanted the throne,” Thor said with a bitter tone still. “He told me he only ever wanted to be my equal. He was never my equal, always my better. I think that is why father wanted me to be king, I think he intended for Loki to always be my adviser. But it would not have worked, I was too arrogant, too selfish... but now? Ironically I think the situation would work. I think I would be a good king now, and I think my brother's voice in my ear would always be a welcome one.”

Tony thought this was profoundly sad. It was obvious to anyone who had eyes that Thor missed his brother deeply, that Thor loved Loki more than perhaps anyone. He wondered if Loki knew that? He wondered if Loki cared.

He made a mental note to tell Loki, when he next saw him, about this conversation with Thor. He didn't know how Loki would take it, but he had to tell him anyway. He hoped it would maybe bring him some comfort to know his family still loved him.

~*~*~*~*~

Tony woke a couple of days later, to the most delicious smell he'd ever woken to in his life. He pulled on some trousers and made his way curiously out to the kitchen, where he grinned as he saw Loki by the stove. Loki looked good, he looked well rested for once.

“Loki...”

Loki looked over at him and smiled. “I decided to make you an Asgardian breakfast to prove I could cook.”

Tony walked over to the breakfast bar and sat down, watching as Loki cooked. There was a plate sitting with various fruits he didn't recognise. One looked like a pink banana, some others were clearly berries, and then there was a golden apple cut into segments.

“Am I allowed to eat the apple?” Tony asked.

“I don't see why not, 'the damage is done' as they say,” Loki smiled. “I'm sure Odin is furious with me, but I can't really bring myself to care.”

“Well you're on the run anyway, what more can he do?” Tony asked as he watched Loki cook something that looked like a cross between a crepe and a pancake. 

Loki smiled and served up two plates of the crepes, and sat with Tony. Loki watched him intently as Tony began to eat; the pancake-crepe things were pretty awesome. They were fluffy on the outside, just like a pancake, but in the centre there were these chewy little spots of what tasted like honey and raspberry. Seeming satisfied that Tony was enjoying his breakfast, Loki began to eat his own.

It was a few minutes before either of them spoke and Loki was the first to break the silence.

“I told you I could cook.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Tony said with a smile. “Apple pie... I didn't think it'd be in your repertoire.”

“I 'googled' it last time I was here and discovered it is similar to my mother's apple strudel. I just tweaked it to work with American ingredients.”

Tony was about to answer when he heard the elevator doors open, but before he could really panic, he glanced at Loki and found 'Liam' sat beside him.

“Tony are you-” Pepper paused in the doorway, files in hand, staring between Tony and Loki. “Oh... sorry, I didn't know you... I'll just be going now.”

“Pepper, wait, are those for me to sign?” Tony asked, getting up and walking towards her.

“Yeah...” She kept staring at Liam, and then looked to Tony mouthing 'Liam?' and Tony nodded. “Sorry...” she whispered as he got closer, and then she whispered softer, “He's quite handsome.”

“He's _gorgeous_ ,” Tony said with a grin and took a look at the files. Pepper, seemingly unable to keep her curiosity at bay, went over to talk to Liam.

“Hello Liam, I'm Pepper Potts.”

Loki smiled at Pepper. “Hello Miss Potts, I know who you are. Tony speaks of you often.”

“He does?”

“Oh yes,” Loki said, “he tells me you are one of his dearest friends.”

Pepper smiled, “I am.. and he's one of my dearest friends too. We've had our ups and downs, but we're getting back to normal I think.”

Loki nodded, “That is good to hear.”

“Pepper, here's the files.” Tony handed the files back to her and smiled. “You should get going, I'll see you later. I'd like to spend the morning with Liam if you don't mind; he was kind enough to make me breakfast.”

“Oh, sure,” she said and smiled a bit. “I'll see you later.”

Pepper walked from the penthouse, casting a glance back to Loki before the elevator doors closed after her. Loki looked at Tony, now back in his normal form.

“She still loves you.”

“She left me,” Tony said, sitting beside Loki. “Even if she does, she left and that's that.”

“Really?” Loki asked, “Why?”

“Because she deserves better than me,” Tony said. “She deserves someone that can put her first. Let's not get into this, let's just enjoy breakfast and then see where the morning takes us.”

Loki contemplated this for a moment and then grinned, “I know where it'll take us, your bedroom in about twenty minutes.”

Tony grinned, he rather liked the sound of that.


	10. Beginnings of Trust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki finally asks for some assistance with his plan. Tony's not sure what to make of it.

**Chapter 10**

Loki and Tony spent the day together, mostly eating and having sex. The next day Tony made breakfast, and afterwards they sat out on the landing area with tea, watching the world go by. 

“Tony... I loathe to ask, but I need your assistance with my plan.”

Tony perked up, this was new, Loki hadn't really talked about the plan he was working towards before. Tony watched him for a few moments and Loki sat up, waving his hands, producing a brown pouch which he handed to Tony.

Opening the pouch, Tony jerked his face away from the opening in surprise. There was an intense heat coming from inside the pouch and Loki smiled faintly.

“I need you to look at this compound and tell me if it is a viable explosive... and help me make a bomb.”

“A bomb?” Tony asked dubiously. “Why do you need a bomb?”

“The Chitauri home world isn't going to blow itself up,” Loki said in an all too conversational tone. “I meant what I said when we spoke before. I will kill as many as I can and with your help I can cripple their fleets. I can cripple them so that whatever is en-route to Midgard is all that is left of them.”

“You just need one bomb?”

Loki shook his head, “No, I will need a few. They need to be small but powerful; I need to be able to place them in several positions so that I have a chance not all of them will be discovered in time.”

Tony nodded, he supposed it sort of made sense. “It'll take me a while to look into this compound... I'll get Bruce to help me, he knows I've 'got a guy' called Liam,” Tony smiled. “You could come down and watch actually if you want. Bruce might want to meet you, now that Rhodey's spread it around that I'm 'seeing someone called Liam'.”

Loki smiled, “Perhaps, but not today. I have... another stop to make. This is just a flying visit I'm afraid.”

“Well that's shit, but at least you gave me breakfast and good head yesterday.”

Loki smacked him on the arm and Tony laughed.

~*~*~*~

“Liam?”

Tony nodded as Bruce ran tests on what Loki had called 'fire salts'. He didn't tell Bruce _why_ he needed it tested, nor did he tell Bruce exactly what they were called. Tony had just alluded to the fact that a 'friend' had asked for a general composition work-up and the question of 'can they be used for bombs?' had come up.

“Tell Liam he has some dangerous stuff here... Tony, are you sure you want to be dealing with this guy?” Bruce looked up at him, a worried frown on his face. “This stuff is dangerous, like 'the other guy' dangerous. I don't know what it'll do if you use it as a bomb.”

“Liam's cool, Bruce, trust me. I've known the guy for years and nothing he does ever gets anyone killed. He acquired this stuff on some sort of raid and wanted to know what it was.”

“Does this have to do with HYDRA?” Bruce asked, “Have they got their hands on this stuff?”

“No,” Tony said. “Bruce, honest, he just wants to know what he's got in storage.”

“Hmmm...” Bruce hummed, and it was obvious he wasn't entirely convinced. “Pepper said she met him the other day, that he made you breakfast?”

“He did.”

“And Rhodey said you're dating him.”

“I'm _not_.”

“And Pepper said he gave you 'googly eyes'.”

“He did no- did she? 'Googly eyes' she said?”

Bruce laughed, “Yes, she said 'googly eyes'. Mentioned something about never thinking you'd look good with a guy, but he seemed to be undressing you with his eyes. Not that I ever wanted to contemplate such things, but she was both jealous and happy when she came to see me after seeing you.”

“Jealous and happy? That's... progress I think.”

“I think so too. So, next time he's in town, I want to meet him,” Bruce said. “I want to see for myself what kind of guy you're 'sort of not seeing'.”

~*~*~*~

A month passed and he heard nothing from Loki. Christmas came and went, New Year's parties were had and Tony spend the New Year in the Avengers suite with Steve, Pepper, Natasha, Clint and Bruce. Jane and Thor had gone off for a holiday somewhere hot, and the rest of them had their own party complete with far too much alcohol.

It was a Friday night going into Saturday morning and it took a few minutes for Tony to figure out what had woken him through his haze of scotch and sleep deprivation. He felt a weight settle on the bed and slowly a body pressed up against his front. At first he panicked, he couldn't remember bringing anyone home from the bar, but then as the damp hair lay on his skin and the scent of fresh mint and spice met his nose, he sighed softly.

“Loki...” he murmured.

Loki pressed himself tightly against Tony. This felt different Tony realised, Loki was shaking from head to toe. Tony wrapped an arm around him and pulled him close, he felt Loki take a deep shuddering breath as his head pillowed on Tony's chest. Tony's hands gently rubbed his back.

It caught him off guard when he felt Loki's tears on his chest.

“Loki?” he said softly again, running his fingers through the Asgardian's damp hair.

“They found me, but I escaped.” Loki's voice was hoarse, his hands balled into fists and he shuddered violently. “I escaped...”

Tony wondered who he meant, this fear, this _terror_ pushing through Loki would not have been caused by the Asgardians. The fear, the tone of voice, it sounded like the Loki from the battle in Manhattan, as he spoke with Thor on the balcony of Stark Tower.

“Stay with me Loki,” Tony soothed. “You're safe here.”

“I was just a boy, just a boy when they grabbed me, I knew not what lay beyond the bifrost. I had nothing to defend myself with, I was powerless, I was-”

Tony hushed him with a kiss. He knew Loki wouldn't be saying these things if he wasn't so unsettled. Come morning he would hate himself for giving away such information when he wasn't in his right mind. As much as Tony wanted to know, wanted to hear what happened, as curious as he was, he didn't want Loki to give the information up without truly wanting to.

“You don't have to explain,” Tony said, rubbing his back. “Go to sleep lover, I've got you.”

Loki buried his head against Tony's chest and slowly relaxed as he fell into a deep sleep. Tony watched him for a few minutes, pillowed on his chest, the soft glow of the arc reactor lighting the sleeping god's face. He waited until he was sure Loki would sleep, then he settled down to sleep himself.

~*~*~*~

Tony woke in the morning and found Loki still in his arms, sleeping deeply. He got up gingerly, trying not to disturb Loki as he moved, pulling the covers tightly around Loki. It was odd, caring about how he was sleeping, that's what gave him the clue that it wasn't just sex; that he was starting to care about Loki's well being.

Now, by the morning light, he could see various bruises and cuts on Loki. Tony could see that he was hurt, but not quite as badly as the last time. After all, he'd managed to undress himself when he got there.

Unless he hadn't been clothed in the first place?

No, that was just silly.

Tony pulled on a pair of sweats and walked out into the living room. He stood in the doorway of his bedroom and frowned as he noticed Pepper sitting on the couch. She raised an eyebrow at him.

“You forgot about our Saturday appointment, didn't you?”

Tony rubbed a hand over his face, looking back at the mound of blankets on his bed that was Loki. He closed the door gently behind him and Pepper stood, walking towards him.

“Pepper-”

“Your booty call arrive in the night?” 

“Yeah, sort of. Listen Pep, can I take a rain check?”

Pepper frowned at him, concern clear on her face. He knew questions were coming.

“Tony, who _is_ this Liam?”

“I can't tell you,” Tony said. “Pepper, I know you're worried, but honestly I'm fine. He's in some deep shit and I'm trying to help him.”

Pepper was now standing directly in front of him, there was a deep concern in her eyes. “Alright,” she said, “just this once, Tony. It's hard to keep on top of your PR work when I don't know what might come up.”

“It's not as easy as that, Pepper.”

She stared at him still. It had to be the first time he'd ever completely closed her off, well, since the palladium poisoning. 

“Just... be careful,” she said softly. “Remember, you're all I've got. Just because I'm not your girlfriend, it doesn't mean I don't care about you.”

He smiled, the comment hurt him a bit but he tried not to show it. She had broken up with him and now she stood there telling him she cared? He knew that, but when she stopped being his _partner_ she lost the right to know everything about his life. The thing was, he was now in a place, a place where their changed relationship wasn't as painful. Tony knew though, that if he pushed it, he might get her back. But he also knew that in the long run, they would both probably end up losing each other through resentment, the same as they already almost had before.

The other thing was, with what was going on with the god in his bed, he wasn't sure he wanted to fall back into things with Pepper. He'd finally been able to move on.

“Pepper... I'm all he's got too. You say it and I know what you mean, but you have people. You have friends, you have me, you have Natasha, you have _Steve_ \- and I know you like him, don't deny it, I've seen the way you look at him. It's the way you used to look at me.”

Pepper flushed a little.

“But him in there, Pep? That guy in my bed?” Tony motioned to the door. “I am _literally_ all he's got in the whole world right now.” 'All he's got in the nine realms actually,' Tony thought.

It was true, as far as Tony could see. Loki had come to him four times now while hurt, and each time had asked for nothing but time and his company. He often found himself wondering what game Loki was playing, what angle he was using, but all he could come up with was that he, Tony Stark, was the God of Mischief's only safe haven.

And that was a tragic thought.

“Tony...” she said, “I'm sorry.”

“Don't be... just don't say I'm all you've got when it's not true, not anymore. I'm at a point, Pepper, where it doesn't hurt anymore, it just makes me sad that we let it start when it would only ever end up in pain.”

“I didn't know it at the time,” she said, “I loved you...”

“I know that,” Tony said, “and I loved you or I wouldn't have asked you to marry me.”

Silence fell between them and Pepper looked at him with sadness. She moved forward and kissed his cheek. “I'll see you on Monday... look after your boyfriend.”

Pepper left the apartment, leaving Tony staring after her. He laughed after a few minutes, the sound hysterical even to his own ears, before he shook his head and made his way back in to Loki.

Loki was half awake, staring at him, and as Tony got back into bed, Loki curled around him. He quickly fell back into an exhausted sleep as Tony lay and tried to figure out what he could do to help him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So uh... haven't been around the internet much. I have this thing, it's a disease, I get a game/book/tv show and I like MUST COMPLETE IT ALL RIGHT NOW BECAUSE I'M IMPATIENT! So... I have been playing Mass Effect 3 as well as looking into moving house and some other stuff so I will reply to your comments I swear I'm just... busy with real life and not so real life stuff. I do appreciate all your comments and support, thank you! Hope you enjoyed the chapter.


	11. Finding Happiness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki opens up about his past, Tony tries to help him feel better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, the chapter is late sort of... There won't be an update next week, I'm moving house and it's got to be decorated and I have no time off work so need to do it at night which seriously cuts into my writing time and it cuts into the wife's editing time too! :D

Chapter 11  
Finding Happiness

As Tony woke a few hours later, he opened his eyes to find Loki's head pillowed on his chest, his eyes open. He looked up at Tony and smiled faintly, looking tired and weary. Tony rubbed his back gently as Loki closed his eyes once more. They lay silently for a while, and Tony could almost hear Loki's mind working before finally the god spoke.

“The Chitauri are different to other races, they are parasites. They inhabit the darkest, coldest worlds. They strip other worlds of natural resources and then return home with them. They see people as resources. They _eat_ other races; they rape, destroy and torture everything they encounter.” A shudder ran through Loki as Tony held him tighter. “They get into the minds of those they subdue and make them believe in their cause, they make them submit to their will. They do not have a _lot_ of magic, however what they do have is very specialized. Even I, the God of Mischief and Lies, could not protect myself against them...

“I was powerless,” Loki finished softly and Tony saw again the haunted look of a lost boy in the eyes of the god. He looked up at Tony and Tony laced their fingers together.

“What did they do?” Tony asked softly.

“Enough to make me wish I were dead a thousand times over, and I know that it was just a taste of their power. They do not need to do physical harm to the body, not when they can get inside your skull and do to you in your mind all they wish to do to your body. What is worse? Being trapped in a nightmare of pain and rape or having it actually done to you? I tell you, I saw no difference when-”

Loki cut himself off and closed his eyes, tears leaking from them, “I say too much.”

“You were raped?”

Loki remained quiet for a few minutes and then a short nod of the head gave Tony his answer. Loki's reluctance to let Tony penetrate him now made sense, painful, blinding, obvious sense. He was shocked that Loki had been willing to have sex at all, but then he supposed the 'God of Flesh' wouldn't lose his appetite for pleasure entirely. After a moment, Loki turned to face him and spoke very softly, “Why am I telling you this?”

“Because I'm willing to listen,” Tony said quietly. “Loki... talk to me.”

“I am frightened to speak too much... Speaking... it opens the dark places again, my hard won sanity begins to slip, like last night. It was Stark who transported me here, if not for her I would be weeping in a ball on the floor somewhere.”

Tony ran his fingers through Loki's hair and kissed him softly on the lips. Loki kissed him back and wrapped his arms around Tony's waist, pulling him close. He kissed along Tony's jaw and whispered in his ear, “Your touch... it helps erase the memories of theirs... Make me forget, Tony.” The words were a soft plea, a desire to be held and wanted.

Tony moved with him, rolling so that Loki was laying on his back on the bed. He leaned down and kissed Loki softly, and Loki kissed back eagerly, his hands running over Tony's back and shoulders.

He felt desperation in Loki's touches, but he refused to be rushed. He took his time kissing and _worshipping_ every inch of flesh that Loki gave him to touch. He took his time in everything, stroking Loki's cock slowly, taking him into his mouth, kissing up his stomach and chest. When he'd licked and caressed all that was before him, Tony straddled Loki's hips and moaned as Loki's fingers found his hole and slowly pushed in, magical lube already on his fingers as he pushed in and stroked Tony's cock in time. It was only a few moments before Tony sat down, sheathing Loki within him.

“Oh Tony...” Loki's voice was one of bliss, utter contentment, as Tony began to rise and fall. His voice grew louder, his fingers rose to caress Tony's chest, running over the arc reactor. Tony felt magic run over his skin and he felt a pulsing in his stomach as Loki weaved magic around them. His nerves were on fire, and then his orgasm caught him off guard as Loki's magic and the arc reactor connected, sending a bolt of energy through them both.

Tony collapsed to the side, pulling Loki towards him. They lay together silently and it was in this silence - this comfortable, post coital silence - that Tony realised he wanted to protect Loki. He smiled at the irony, that this man in his arms had not a year ago tried to kill him and now, here he was contemplating how he wanted nothing more than to soothe away his fears and keep him safe.

He rubbed Loki's back and Loki spoke softly into the darkness. “Thank you.”

“No need to thank me,” Tony replied quietly, running fingers through Loki's hair. “I enjoy your company.”

They lay together for another few minutes when Tony slowly sat up, looking down at Loki. He ran his finger over Loki's cheek to tangle in his hair and then leaned down to kiss him deeply. After a moment he pulled back, saying softly, “Let's go watch some T.V. Something frivolous.”

Loki smiled and sat up, he pulled on his sweats and Tony did the same. Then Tony grabbed all the blankets off the bed and threw them at Loki. Loki looked curious as Tony picked up the pillows, “We're going to build a nest on the couch, come on, my mum used to do this with me when I was sick as a kid. It's revoltingly lazy, but it feels fucking good. And then, if we're so inclined, we can have sex out there too.”

Loki smiled a bit and walked with Tony out into the living room. There was some uncertainty in the god's movements, but Tony sat down and pulled him against his chest as they put on a movie, making sure Loki was comfortable and felt wanted. A few hours into their lazy day, Loki summoned Stark - who was now the size of a small horse, but she was well behaved - and she lay down beside the roaring fire.

Tony couldn't help the smile on his face as he realised that this odd little scene of him, Loki and Stark was almost like family. He wondered if it was just him that found it oddly comforting, and so he found the courage to ask.

“Loki... are you happy?”

Loki didn't answer at first. He let the silence spread out for so long that Tony was sure he was just going to ignore the question, but then he spoke, his voice soft and thoughtful.

“I am. When I am here with you, I find happiness again.”

Tony smiled, “I'm happy when you're here too.” Tony's hand found the back of Loki's neck and he rubbed softly as they both settled once more into companionable silence.

~*~*~*~*~

The next day, Tony left Loki alone in the apartment and instructed JARVIS not to let _anyone_ into the apartment without Loki's express permission. JARVIS, he knew, would stick to that and he told Loki if anyone came by and he wanted to talk, to feel free and masquerade as 'Liam' to do so.

Tony went into work, signed off on paperwork that Pepper had left for him, and took a call from Nick Fury asking if this 'Liam' he'd heard about was as good at tracking people as he was at finding obscure technology. Tony said he'd ask and then wondered how far Rhodey had spread the word about 'Liam'.

That day as he finished work and headed into the Avengers' suite, he was grabbed by Fandral into his bedroom. Tony gave Fandral a raised eyebrow, but Fandral just sighed and walked over to his bag, pulling out a golden apple and handing it to Tony.

There were no words exchanged between them, but Tony knew what it meant. He knew Fandral wanted that apple to get to Loki. Tony didn't ask how he knew Loki might need it, he didn't ask if he wanted to see Loki. He just took the apple, nodded his head and left Fandral's room, hiding the apple in his pocket as he went.

Before he could get out of the Avengers' suite, he noticed that Thor had brought Volstagg, Hogun and Lady Sif with him too. Usually he only brought one of his friends, but this time he had all of them. He had thought Sif and the Warriors Three were on Asgard, preparing for the war with the Frost Giants.

“Hey Thor,” Tony said, walking over to their table. “I thought you guys had a war to prepare for?”

Sif smiled a bit, “War has been averted.”

“It seems the Frost Giants have begun a war with Muspelhiem. Something about a Frost Giant killing Fire Demons for fire salts,” Thor said. “Father is looking into it, but currently we can't work out why they would instigate a war with Muspelhiem. We were actually worried they might be forming an alliance.”

_A Frost Giant killing Fire Demons for fire salt?_

Loki immediately came to Tony's mind. He thought back to a few months ago when he'd appeared in his Jotun form, burned and blistered. He had to have been on Muspelhiem in his Jotun form for a reason; Tony couldn't work it out back then, but now it suddenly made sense.

He sat the apple in front of Loki, who smiled a bit.

“Fandral is in residence then?”

“Yeah,” Tony said, sitting down beside Loki on the couch. “He didn't say, I didn't ask, but I know that's where it's supposed to go.”

Loki nodded a little, “I went to see him, very briefly... I told him I could not stay long, but if he truly wished to help me he would make sure to bring an apple for me every time he visited with Thor.”

Tony nodded, “Well... he's a good friend to you, I know he can get in a shit load of trouble for this.”

“Depends on who finds out,” Loki said.

Tony knew Loki meant if Odin found out, he doubted Thor would really care that Fandral was sneaking his brother golden apples. In fact, Thor might be glad to know someone was looking out for his brother.

“So... I was talking with your brother,” Tony said, looking at Loki. “I hear you've started another war.”

Loki pursed his lips. “I'm sure I don't know what you mean.”

“You went to the land of the fire demons in your blue form, to kill them and pin it on Jotunhiem. I can do basic math, Loki, it's fine, just... why?”

Loki sighed, “Asgard is not ready for a new full scale war... So I thought the best way to avert it was to send the Frost Giants' attention elsewhere. The Fire Giants and Frost Giants are often at war, I just... nudged them.” Loki looked at Tony, “I thought this was mildly better than outright genocide, though I admit it still has its appeal.”

“You can be quite ruthless,” Tony said, though it didn't taint Loki in any way. He knew the Asgardian could be ruthless, he knew he could do what needed to be done, in any way he felt he could do it.

Loki shrugged a little, “It is no matter... Did you begin production of the bombs I asked for?”

“I'm working on it,” Tony said. “You on a schedule?”

“Yes,” Loki replied, “I only have limited time with which to work my plan... A small window of opportunity. The sooner they are ready, the better.”

Tony wondered vaguely how long Loki was working with, but as the Asgardian stood and stretched out his limbs, he held a hand out. “Come, let us get dressed and go find somewhere fun to be. I tire of being inside, I wish to see this city of yours. You know, while I'm not trying to destroy it.”

Tony smiled a bit. “Sure,” he said, and he let himself be led astray into New York by the God of Mischief.

~*~*~*~

As they returned that night after their drinking, Tony and Loki - disguised as Liam - found their way into the Avengers' Suite and suddenly they were in the presence of Thor, Sif, and The Warriors Three. Thor looked at Loki for a few moments, but Loki kept his face passive before looking to Tony.

“Anthony, are you going to introduce me to your friends?”

“Oh... sure... You know a little about the Avengers, right? This is Thor, Sif and the Warriors Three. Hogun, Fandral and Volstagg.”

Tony watched as Loki shook the hands of his brother and the others. Sif was looking at him oddly and she asked, “Do I know you from somewhere, Midgardian?”

Loki looked to Tony, “What is a 'midgardian'?”

“She means human...”

“Oh, are you all aliens then? I saw it on the news when that _Loki_ character attacked Manhattan. I hope you have managed to detain that monster.”

Thor bristled, “He is no monster, he is my brother and he is a Prince of Asgard. You will give him the same respect you would give any prince.”

Tony watched Loki's eyes widen in shock at Thor's words, and then he narrowed his eyes a bit. “Really? Tony told me that Loki attempted to kill you.”

“He was angry, misguided and lost. If you have no kind words to say of my brother, you will say none at all.”

The shock was clear and Tony, deciding this conversation had gone on long enough, took Loki's hand. “Come on Liam, let's go up to bed.” He watched as Loki and Fandral caught each other's gaze, before he tugged Loki towards the elevator and they made their way up to Tony's penthouse.

Tony watched Loki as they went to bed. He was quiet, and before Tony could ask anything, he found Loki's lips on his and found himself pushed onto the bed. All thoughts were chased away as Loki lost himself within him, as he was so fond of doing.

And Tony was happy to let him.


	12. Explosions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Someone drops in on Tony and Loki. The results are... interesting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the extended hiatus, moving house takes a lot longer than anticipated as does getting working internet. All is good now and I now have a few chapters ready to go, will post another sometime this week (Probably Tuesday or Wednesday as Thursday is officially 'Corcalamus goes to bathe in the awesome that is Iron Man 3' as the UK is getting it ahead of the USA for some reason.). All is well in the new flat so fingers crossed I should be able to keep posting until it's done. Not long to go!

Chapter 12  
Explosions

The silence that filled the air the next morning was far from comfortable, but Tony knew it was because Loki was thinking on Thor's words from the night before. It had surprised Loki, that Tony knew, he could see the shock plain as day as Loki's brother defended him from 'Liam'.

“You know, it's not the first time he's defended you. When... you tried to take over, he defended you even then.”

Loki looked up from his cereal. “He has always tried to protect me, when in truth it was often me protecting him...”

“He loves you,” Tony said.

“I love him too, but I am too far down this road to bring him along. It would jeopardize my whole plan. I have you Tony, I have your resources, and I have Stark.”

“What about after your plain works out?”

Loki shrugged, “I shall think about it.”

Tony knew already that meant 'no', but he didn't comment, instead he just went back to reading his newspaper and eating his cheerios.

~*~*~*~

Two days later, Loki left once more, and Tony told the company he would be indisposed for a week. It was time he started work on the bombs properly. All had gone quiet on the HYDRA front and so Tony was left mostly alone to work on his schematics. 

By the time he'd finished, he had the optimum ratio of fire salt to oxygen and had refined them into an even more explosive compound. He'd scortched himself once or twice (and thanked his God of Mischief for the golden apple physique he now had), but now had seven small bombs he knew could rip many holes in the side of SHIELD's helicarrier, he hoped that was strong enough.

When Loki returned he was ecstatic to see the bombs.

“I think this calls for a celebration,” he'd said, only looking mildly singed as he pushed Tony onto the couch.

“Loki...” he said softly against his lips.

“I love the way you say my name,” Loki said quietly, “like it's the most divine thing you've ever spoken.”

Tony grinned and nipped Loki's bottom lip, “Make me come.”

“Oh that filthy mouth of yours again, Tony...”

Tony felt a hint of glee within him as Loki gracefully pushed him back and leaned over him. This couch in front of the TV was one of their favourite places to fuck. Tony didn't know why, maybe it was the feel of the leather on his skin, the open space, the fact that once they'd had sex they usually curled up together and watched T.V a bit more. It was just one of those happy places.

He groaned deeply as Loki's lips found his throat and then his fingers groped for his sweats, pushing them off. Fingers wrapped around Tony's cock and then, again, that wonderful magical lube Loki could conjure was on his fingers. Loki was sliding his fingers into him, two at once, and Tony was ready for him. He groaned, leaning back, and gripped Loki's arm as he replaced the fingers with his cock.

“Hard and fast,” Tony said with a grunt.

The thump they heard above was lost in their coupling, and when they came the crash that brought the air-duct down might have been lost except for the debris. Tony scrambled to his feet, pulling on his trousers. “What the- Barton!”

Clint was found among the debris, looking at Tony with an odd expression. It was a mixture of anger, fear, disgust and horror.

“Oh god... Please get me bleach for my eyes, that can't be unseen!”

“Barton, what are you doing in my ventilation shaft!?” Tony was incensed.

“Hey, you don't get to be on your high horse here, Stark, you just let Loki shove something up your own ventilation shaft – Oh _fucking hell_ ,” he said as he stood. Loki was now standing beside Tony, staring at Barton.

“Barton...” Tony said, “who put you up to this?”

“Who do you think!?”

“Fury.” Tony said and groaned, “Fucking Nick Fury trying to get info on 'Liam', am I right?”

Clint nodded as Tony rubbed his head, but before he could act - before he could do anything - Loki walked forward, grabbed Clint by the shirt, and pushed him against the wall.

“Loki!” Tony moved forward, but Loki raised a shield around Clint and himself, and Tony couldn't get near. 

“I promise I will do him no harm,” Loki said, not looking at Tony. Clint was looking at Loki now, a fire of hatred burning there. Loki stared him down and began to speak.

“I regret the trauma I was forced to put you through Agent Barton, but I had no choice in the matter. You felt the sway of the staff, you felt how it takes you out and puts something else in its place. I know you were privy to a few conversations between myself and The Other, tell me, do I look like the type to simply crawl and beg to such masters?”

It took a moment for Clint to reply. “No,” he said simply.

“I know you hate me, but hate the ones that used me instead,” Loki told him. “I work to undo them. They have a planet, a planet I seek to destroy. They are coming, the Chitauri, _Thanos_.”

The name caused Clint to recoil.

“Ah... So you _do_ remember?”

“It's hazy,” Clint said after a moment.

“I wish I had the luxury of my memory being hazy,” Loki said. There it was again, the unhinged look, the violence and hatred in his voice. “I wish I could forget the horrors shown to me, the horrors done upon me. But I cannot, all I can do is work towards their undoing.” He let go of Clint and Clint looked at him now with more curiosity than hatred.

“Thanos is coming?” he asked.

Loki nodded, “He comes with the Chitauri... but I will destroy them all. I will end them. If for nothing else, Agent Barton, keep me free until I do that. Then I will submit to whatever punishment is in store for me.”

Loki let the shield fall, and both he and Clint stared at each other. Clint then looked at Tony.

“You believe him?”

“Yeah, I believe him.”

Clint looked again at Loki, “Fine... You stick a knife in Thanos' throat if you find him.”

“Oh, do not worry, I will. I intend to send him to his beloved Lady Death as quickly as I am able. Him and all the Chitauri... _All_ of them.”

Clint nodded and then began walking from the room. “I won't tell them who you're shaking up with,” Clint said as he reached the door. “Just make sure he doesn't go nuts and try to take over the world again.”

“I will,” Tony said as Clint left. 

Tony looked at the mess left by the air-duct and sighed, then he looked to Loki, who was standing still. He walked towards him and gently took his hand. It startled him and Tony felt himself thrown against the wall.

“ _Loki!_ ”

Loki held him by the upper arms and then startled, pulling back.

“Tony... I'm sorry.” He bowed his head and ran his hands through his hair, gripping tightly to his head. Tony shook his head, his hands lifted to take Loki's hands from his own head. “I'm so sorry...” Loki whispered.

“It's fine, I'm fine... Remember, magic apple pie.” Tony pulled him close, his arms wrapping around Loki's upper body and he kissed his cheek. “Let's go lie down for half an hour... Then I'll arrange someone to clear up this mess. Come on.”

Tony started walking with Loki, whom didn't fight him about lying down. Tony felt him shake and fight to keep control, and it was only truly regained once Loki had fallen asleep. 

~*~*~*~

Loki left Sunday morning and Tony began work in the lab on refining the rest of the fire salts that Loki had brought him. It was an odd substance, Loki wouldn't tell him exactly how you got them. Tony had a feeling that Fire Demons were harmed in the making of the substance, but he couldn't bring himself to question it too much. Loki had a plan, that was clear, and it was clear that he was slowly letting Tony in on it.

He wanted to know the whole thing, but that wasn't Loki's style. He gave just enough to get Tony on side, and part of him wondered if he really wanted to destroy the Chitauri. But the other part, the part that saw the lost look in Loki's eyes when he talked about the Chitauri and his treatment at their hands, that part just knew Loki was telling the truth, if perhaps not the whole truth.

Clint had come up to him in the lab late Sunday night. He didn't ask anything about Loki, he just asked if there was anything he could do to help. Tony gave him a list of things he needed, and Clint fetched them. This was strictly a private project, and seeing as Clint knew roughly what he was doing, it made sense that he was the one to help.

“What is this stuff?” Clint asked, looking at the warm red beads that seemed to glow with internal fire.

“Explosives,” Tony said, because that was all Clint really needed to know.

Another two weeks went by and Tony managed to sidestep all questions about his boyfriend by the Avengers. He was working during the day at Stark Industries, doing everything Pepper asked, then at night he worked in his personal work shop with Clint. Clint wasn't the most scientifically minded, but he took directions easily enough.

During the third week of this routine, Clint was in the workshop with Tony when Jarvis' cool voice came over the intercom. “Sir, Loki has arrived, and he has Stark out with him.”

Tony set down his tools immediately and walked towards the living room. Clint went with him, and he was glad he did. The huge, horse sized dragon was laying down, Loki leaning over her, a hand pressed over the wound on her neck. Loki looked exhausted as he tried to heal her. The wound slowly knitted closed, then he waved his hands and she turned from a huge beast into a tiny red light, which flew towards his pendant and settled inside it. Loki lay down on the floor and held a bag up.

“I have the last of the fire salts,” he said and then promptly passed out.

Clint walked with Tony towards Loki and helped him get the unconscious Asgardian onto the couch, merely watching as Tony began undressing him. The speed with which he could now get the buckles and braces undone showed Clint just how many times Tony'd had to do this. The ease with which he manipulated Loki's body showed Clint that this was not a once in a while thing.

“He often come back injured?”

“Sometimes,” Tony said softly, he really hated it when Loki came back this injured.

“Tony... What are you doing with him? I mean... I get you want to help him, but sleeping with him?”

“He's good in bed,” Tony said, somewhat defensively.

“Uh-hu,” Clint said and he moved to take Loki's helmet off. “The pained expression on your face as you check him for wounds tells me something else is going on than just sex.”

“He's a friend.”

“You're sleeping with him, he's not 'a friend',” Clint said flatly.

“I don't know what he is then... a friend with benefits? I enjoy spending time with him, I have sex with him, we watch movies together. Is that so weird?”

“No, but you should just call it for what it is,” Clint said with a frown. “He's your boyfriend. All that stuff you do? I do it with Natasha, and she's my _girlfriend_.”

It took a moment for that to sink in, Loki was Tony's boyfriend. Really? How had this happened? “But... do you love Natasha?”

“Yes,” Clint said, “do you love him?”

“I... don't know.”

“Can you imagine not seeing him again? You know, you fix him up, you watch him leave and then you never ever see him again?”

Tony thought about it, he _really_ thought about it, and the idea of not seeing Loki again was a painful one. He thought of getting over Loki and it made his breath catch. He'd been helping put him back together again, he'd been watching him slowly get better and healing his wounds for months now. He'd been listening to Thor tell stories about him, he'd listened to Loki tell his own stories, and he watched in admiration as Loki pieced himself back together.

“No,” Tony said simply.

“Then, I think you're definitely in love, Tony. Fucking hell... in love with the God of Mischief.”

“Actually, he's the God of Mischief, Lies and Flesh if you go to Alfhiem,” Tony said and smiled a bit as Loki was now down to just his leather trousers and the black undershirt he wore. He saw no wounds, no bruises, no burns. His faint must have been just from magical exhaustion.

“Will you help me lift him into bed?”

Clint nodded, and with his help Tony moved a now semi naked Loki into the bedroom. He said goodnight to Clint, and as Clint left he took Loki's trousers off and settled him under the covers.

“Tony...” Loki said quietly and Tony leaned over him.

“Hey.”

“Lie with me,” he said quietly.

Tony leaned down and kissed his forehead, “Sure.” He got undressed and then lay face to face with Loki, pulling him close, wrapping his arms around him. The familiar scent of mint and spice met his nose and he sighed softly.

Loki settled against him and his fingers found the arc reactor on Tony's chest. Loki was somewhat obsessed with it, he often connected a small piece of his magic to it and Tony had laughed last time as he'd gotten somewhat high from the effect. Then he heard him speak quietly, so quietly Tony almost missed it.

“Talk to me,” Loki said softly.

“About what?”

“Anything,” Loki said, “I just want to hear your voice... I have missed it.”

Tony frowned, trying to think of something to tell Loki. What could he tell him? What story could he tell the God of Mischief? Most of his stories included drink and sex, but this wasn't one of those moments. So he finally settled upon a story about his mother and the time she had taken him horseback riding. 

It had been one of _her_ pastimes, and she'd been keen to have Tony do something with her and not with his father, determined to do something that was _natural_ and didn't have him caught in machines. It had been a disaster from start to finish. Tony was every bit his father's son, preferred a purring engine to a horse, and when the horse had thrown him from its back, he'd told his mother he'd never go near one again.

He felt Loki smile against his chest. “I would like you to meet my steed... but I do not think I will ever be able to take you to meet him.” There was a genuine regret in Loki's tone, Tony wondered why he was so sure that he wouldn't ever be able to return to Asgard. Sure he was currently on the run, but he was going to take out the Chitauri, he was trying to save the _universe_.

“So, you have all the fire salts you need then?”

“Yes,” Loki said, “you have the bombs ready?”

“Mostly...” Tony said. “What's your plan?”

“Kaboom,” Loki said with a sigh of delight.

Tony smiled a bit, “I get that... but more details would be nice.”

“It will be fine Tony... If you don't mind, I am going to get some rest.”

“Sure,” Tony said softly and he lay there as Loki slowly fell asleep.

He didn't know why, but he had a very foreboding feeling about this conversation. He pushed the feeling to the back of his mind and he sighed deeply, kissing Loki's forehead. He'd worry about it in the morning.


	13. God of Lies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki tells some lies, Tony tries to believe him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a very short chapter, I'll probably post another chapter tomorrow or Tuesday since it's so short but really this one I felt needed to stand alone.

**Chapter 13**  
God of Lies

Loki only stayed a day this time. He handed Tony the fire salts in the morning and then told him that he had some things to attend to for his plan to go off without a hitch. The foreboding feeling wouldn't leave Tony, there was just something about Loki's last appearance that bothered him. Something that told him that Loki's plan was almost ready, and that he should be worried.

But Loki seemed so sure of the plan. Loki seemed like he was confident and knew what he was doing. He had requested eight bombs of medium size, and with the experiments he'd run, Tony knew that each bomb would be big enough to take out a small city. Loki then told Tony to keep back the rest of the fire salts for future use. It was like he knew they'd need them, but wasn't willing to tell him what for yet.

A week later, Loki came to him in the middle of the night. The warning sounded, Tony turned and found Loki undressing, and Loki climbed into bed with him. No words were spoken, he just slid towards Tony, kissing him, leaning over him, his hands almost desperate to touch him and be touched by him.

He let Tony take the lead and as he lay back and Tony leaned down to kiss his neck, he whispered softly into the darkness, “I trust you.”

It took a moment for Tony to understand what he meant, but he looked up, seeking Loki's eyes in the darkness and found them. Locking his eyes with Loki's, he kissed him, reaching for the bedside table. The bottle of lube always sat there, he felt no need to hide it as it was just him and Loki that spent time in this bed these days. 

“Loki...” he whispered softly, and he groaned as Loki's fingers fisted the back of his hair and gripped tightly. He was gentle as he touched Loki intimately, both of them knowing what it was leading to. He stroked Loki's cock slowly, his hand slick with lube and he asked softly, “Do you want to be on top?”

“No...” Loki said, his hands running down Tony's chest. “I want you to be in control... be gentle.”

Tony smiled, it was such an amusing request, because no matter what he did, it wouldn't hurt Loki, but he knew why Loki was nervous, knew why he was tense. He didn't know the _details_ of what happened with the Chitauri, but rape had been mentioned and he knew it would be enough to make anyone pause at giving such trust and intimacy. 

His fingers slipped lower, beyond the perineum and slowly, gently rubbed over his entrance. Loki stilled for a moment and then rocked his hips. “Make me yours,” he whispered.

Tony felt his heart race, it was so different this time, but it was a _good_ kind of different. He poured lube onto his fingers and again ran his fingers across Loki's entrance, circling, dipping in, but not pushing in, giving Loki time to get used to him touching him so intimately.

Slowly, gently, keeping his eyes on Loki's face, he pushed a finger in. Loki gripped Tony's shoulders, his right leg pulled up to his chest. He was tight, tense, and Tony kissed him softly on the lips to try and relax him. Slowly, as Tony's finger gently slid in and out, Loki relaxed.

Loki moaned as Tony added the next two fingers, then replaced his fingers with his slick cock, nudging Loki's entrance. Loki tensed for but a second and then, as Tony pushed forward, Loki opened his eyes and they locked with Tony's.

Tony set a steady rhythm, not too hard, holding Loki's gaze as they moved together. Loki's fingers gripped his shoulders tightly, Tony's hand moved between them to fist Loki's cock. He stroked in time with his thrusts and it wasn't long before Loki's head fell back and he came with Tony's name on his lips. Tony came a moment after and he lay beside him, pulling Loki close to his chest.

Loki's breathing was ragged, and he snuggled against Tony, seeking comfort from him. Comfort Tony was all too willing to give, and as Loki wrapped his arm around him Tony whispered softly, “I love you, Loki.” It felt so odd saying it out loud.

Loki stilled and pulled back, tears illuminated in his eyes by the arc reactor. His fingers reached up and stroked Tony's face and he whispered softly, the voice one of wonder and some pain, “I love you too.” He rested his head back on Tony's chest and said very softly, “Every time I leave... it gets harder.”

“Then don't leave.”

Tony knew that it couldn't happen, he knew Loki had things to do, and that he was going to be following through his plan soon. He wanted, however, in that moment, just to pretend that he was just Tony Stark and Loki wasn't a wanted criminal. He wanted to pretend, just for now, that they were a normal couple.

In this moment, he wanted it to be nothing but him and Loki.

“Tony...”

“Lie to me, Loki,” Tony said softly and Loki sighed quietly.

“I won't leave.”

For now, it was enough.

~*~*~*~

Tony woke with the dawn as Loki slowly got out of bed. He watched Loki get dressed, watched him pull on his boots and manually put his armour on. Tony got up and moved to stand behind him, wrapping his arms around him. Loki turned in his embrace and looked down slightly into Tony's eyes.

“Tony...” he said softly, “I have to go.”

“I know,” Tony said. “You got everything you need?”

Loki nodded, “Yes... Stark and I will be able to complete the mission.” He stroked Tony's cheek gently, his eyes still holding some wonder. “I never meant for this, you know. I never meant to fall for you... I planned on visiting you for my plan, but not then. I had planned on gaining your help, but not like this. I hadn't planned on _this_.”

Loki leaned his head forward, touching his forehead to Tony's. Tony didn't like the sound of his voice, the pain it held.

“Loki, shh, it'll be fine.”

“Yes... it will,” Loki agreed. He kissed Tony softly on the lips, his hands running through his hair. “I should go, before I lose conviction.”

“I'll see you later,” Tony said and Loki nodded. He stepped back and pulled on his helmet. Looking at Tony, Loki smiled softy, his eyes holding something of the pain that had been there since the night before. He nodded his head, waved his arms and then he was gone.

And with his departure, the unsettled, foreboding feeling returned.


	14. Broken Fairytale

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony tries to forget his foreboding feeling with limited success.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another short chapter, I'll try to get the next one up tomorrow.

Chapter 14  
 **Broken Fairytale**

The day Loki had left had been hard, but Tony decided to spend it with Clint in the gym. He told Clint simply that 'the plan was on track' and Clint knew that meant Loki had gone off to do whatever it was he was planning with his eight bombs.

The second day he spent in meetings with Pepper, and had actually paid attention, because that meant he didn't have time to dwell on the things said between himself and Loki. Didn't have time to analyse the nagging feeling in the back of his skull that something was really wrong.

Day three he opened the closet that used to be Pepper's to find Loki's backpack sitting there. It had never been left before, Loki took it everywhere with him. Tony knew it was where he kept all his supplies. Tony mused that it just meant Loki was going to be back to retrieve it. He didn't want to take it with him, lest he lose it.

Day four Tony called Pepper to tell her he wasn't coming to work, and then he went downstairs to his lab and fought with his newest suit. He'd been playing around with the fire salts, seeing if they could be made into tiny little bombs to explode on impact. He thought he could safely contain a few in a compartment of his suit.

On day five Tony had almost convinced himself that he was worrying over nothing. He had gone to work and was sitting at his desk, when his door opened and in walked Rhodey with an unreadable expression on his face.

He sat in front of Tony at his desk and placed a large box on the table. Now that it was closer, Tony saw the box was sturdy, made of wood and had intricate carvings reminiscent of the Viking art he'd seen when researching Norse myths.

“What's in the box?”

Rhodey sighed, opened the box and pulled out a letter, handing it to Tony.

“I'm sorry man...” he said softly as Pepper walked into the office as well, with a frown on her face.

“What's wrong Rhodey? Happy said you told him to find me and get me here.”

Tony missed the rest of the conversation between Pepper and Rhodey as he stared at the letter he held in his hands. It was on thick parchment, and it said simply on the front 'Tony' in Loki's elegant handwriting.

He knew nothing good could come of this letter, but he opened it and began to read.

_'Dear Tony,_

_I have never felt the need to apologise to anyone for the lies I tell, because usually they serve my purpose and do no true harm to anyone. Being the God of Mischief and Lies, one gets used to it. The mistrust and deceit become second nature. This is the first time I have felt the need, the desire to apologise for any lies I have told, and only because I told them to you._

_The problem is, Tony Stark, I love you, and that makes part of me want to show you the truth. But knowing what your reaction would be to it, I admit I have been a coward in saying how I feel. I cannot tell you the truth face to face and so I rely on the written words of a letter to do so for me._

_You see, I do not plan on returning to you. Not because I don't want you, not because I do not love you. But I plan on this being a suicide run to the Chitauri homeworld. The branches of the World Tree this far out are almost impossible to walk on. When the explosion goes off, I will not be able to find the way back. I will be caught, it will kill me, but Midgard and Asgard, and the other realms, will be safe by my actions._

_As you read this, I will be in the process of setting the charges. I could have stayed with you a few more days, but I could not allow it. Every time I lie with you, you heal me a bit more. Every time we talk, you find a piece of me I thought long lost by the actions of cruel hands and the whispers of misguided words._

_Your Agent Coulson said it so eloquently with his dying breath to me. He said that I lack conviction, and he was right. So now, before this fear of death claims me, I go. I leave you to find your path without me. I no longer lack conviction, I work to save that which I love._

_Live, Tony Stark, find a companion whom is worthy of you. I am not. You deserve someone who isn't broken, someone whose pieces are not scattered. You deserve steady, stable hands, not my shattered ones._

_Never doubt that I loved you. I think, in fact, it is this shining light within me that gives me the conviction I need to destroy the Chitauri._

_This is farewell._

_Yours,  
Loki.'_

His eyes scanned the letter two, three times, and on the fourth pass he shook his head, standing. What did he do with this? How did he fix it? Could he? He looked over it again as he paced 'as you read this, I set the charges'.

He looked at Rhodey, who wouldn't meet his gaze. “He gave me the locations and instructions on how to destroy 14 Chitauri warships bound for Earth. Information about Thanos, information about other weapons we might use against invaders from other places. Information about how to protect against Chitauri mind control, in case we can't destroy all the ships.” Finally Rhodey looked at Tony. “He told me he wanted to put right some of the wrongs he'd done. Told me a bit about what happened when he fell from the bifrost, and you know, after what he told me, I'm surprised he was still functioning. I had no idea this was his plan, Tony, I'm sorry...”

He'd never felt so helpless before, never in his whole life. He wondered vaguely who else had letters. Thor would have one, probably his mother and father. He wondered if there was anyone else that he would say goodbye to.

He didn't remember sinking to his knees, he had the letter tightly in his hand and he didn't hear his door open again. It wasn't until Pepper's hand was on his shoulder that he was even aware of the fact he was kneeling on the floor, tears falling from his eyes.

“Tony?” Pepper's voice was full of concern, Tony knew he'd never broken down like this in front of her before. In fact, the last time he'd felt anything like this he was seventeen and he'd just been told his parents had died in a car crash. He could barely breathe, all he could do was hand the letter to Pepper.

Pepper read the letter and then she moved, wrapping her arms around him, letting him lean against her.

“I'm so sorry,” she said softly. Tony could hear the tears in her voice. He didn't know why she was upset, on his behalf? The fact that he was so obviously broken by this? She continued running a hand through his hair for what felt like hours and Tony just wanted to blot it out.

As they sat together, the door opened again and Clint walked into the room, closing the door behind him. Pepper looked at him curiously and he walked over silently. He sat down with them and spoke.

“He left me a bow design,” Clint said. “His letter said it was from Alfhiem, the land of the Elves, said he thought I might appreciate it.” Clint put a hand on Tony's shoulder, “Let's get you upstairs.”

Tony didn't protest, he was too busy thinking about Loki and where he might be, what might have happened to him. He ached in a way he never had before, and tears continued to fall as he thought of their last night together.

' _Lie to me_ ,' Tony had told him and Loki did, all the way through the night to the morning. Truly, Loki was the God of Lies, and all Tony could do was wish he could hold him one last time and tell him how much he loved him.

~*~*~*~

As it turned out, Loki had left letters for all of the Avengers, Pepper and Jane, as well as his mother and father. Tony lay in bed most of the day, his arm wrapped around a pillow as he tried to sleep to blot out the pain. When that didn't work, he got piss drunk against Pepper's advice and then fell asleep again, only to have nightmares.

The second day of this behaviour was when Steve braved the stench in the bedroom to make Tony take a shower and start to sober up. Tony had no intention of sobering up. He intended on staying as piss drunk as he could, as long as he could. His plan failed, however, when he walked out into his living room to find Thor sitting at his bar, his own eyes red and puffy.

“Tony...” he said with a hoarse voice, “My brother is dead.”

Tony nodded, “Yeah.” 

“This is the second time that I have mourned for him,” Thor said, clenching his fists. “Though it is different... This time he is not a fallen Prince, this time he has redeemed himself for his actions. He will find his way to Valhalla.”

Tony liked this idea at first, and then he frowned, remembering the stories of Valhala Loki had told him, the drinking and the sparring. “He'd hate it there,” Tony said suddenly.

Thor laughed a bit, “Yes, that is probably true... Perhaps he'll find somewhere else to spend his time in the afterlife.”

Tony sat with Thor and Thor rubbed his face. They sat quietly for a few minutes, and Tony knew this was going to be a difficult day. He knew Thor wanted to talk about Loki.

“How long was he coming here?”

“Months,” Tony said. “He was 'Liam'. We were sleeping together, he was... he...” Tony sighed, “We had fun.”

Thor smiled a little, “Well... they did call him the God of Flesh on Alfhiem... It was never an official name, but it was one he always found amusing.”

“Did you get the letters to your parents?” Tony asked.

“Yes,” Thor said softly. “Father and mother are heartbroken...”

“I'm sorry Thor,” Tony said, and it just sounded so inadequate.

“Tell me...” Thor said softly, “was he happy?”

Tony thought back to the months he and Loki had spent together. He thought to the nights they'd had sex, the days they'd spent watching T.V, the stories Loki told about his and Thor's childhood, the few fond memories Tony told him about his own. 

He thought about teaching Loki how to play the computer games he'd had lying around for a slow day, he remembered the look on Loki's face as they watched the Rocky Horror Picture show. He remembered the easy way Loki laughed at his stupid jokes and the way those green eyes relaxed whenever Tony was near.

“He was,” Tony said. “He had demons, but I made sure he had somewhere to call home... even for a little while,” Tony said quietly. “I loved him, Thor, and he loved me. We fell together quickly, but I bathed his wounds, fed him, loved him... and now...”

Thor put his hand on Tony's back and Tony felt that it was easier to accept the gesture from Thor than anyone else. Thor was Loki's brother, Thor was in pain and Thor knew Loki better than any of them.

“I love him,” Tony said. “I told him the night before he left... This is just so fucked up. Why does everyone I love die or leave me? Or both in this case...”

Tony stood, rubbing his face. He hated that he was angry at Loki, because clearly Loki had been in pain. Clearly Loki had thought all this through. He remembered Loki's words to him just before he left:

_'I never meant for this, you know. I never meant to fall for you... I planned on visiting you for my plan, but not then. I had planned on gaining your help, but not like this. I hadn't planned on this.'_

Tony knew now that he meant he hadn't meant for them to fall in love. He hadn't meant to start something they could never finish. It was the story of Tony's life, his life lacked follow through most of the time.

He laughed bitterly, “My life lacks conviction.”

“Let us go find a bar and drink to my brother,” Thor said with a sad smile, “Let us remember his life in song.”

Tony looked at Thor and nodded, sure, why not? This was an open invitation for him to go out and get as piss drunk as he dared with Thor. Sure, why the fuck not?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know! I'm sorry.... send your reviews along with broken hearts to me. Next chapter will be up tomorrow or Monday.


	15. Begin To Hope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As they finished breakfast and Tony put the dishes away, Jarvis said calmly, “Sir, Stark is in the living room.”

Chapter 15  
Begin to Hope

The hangover was epic, but to Tony that was just reason to drink again. Except that when he got up, he found Thor passed out on the couch. He woke the big guy up and made him breakfast, like he had done so often for Loki. Pancakes would never taste the same again as far as he was concerned, they were forever tied up now in memories of breakfast in bed with Loki. Of the 'Loki Pancake Mountain' which Loki was so very fond of.

Any time he thought too much of Loki, he felt like he couldn't breathe. He had never had his heart broken like this before, and he wondered vaguely how people survived it. As Tony was finishing making breakfast, Fandral appeared, and he looked just as awful as Tony felt.

As they finished breakfast and Tony put the dishes away, Jarvis said calmly, “Sir, Stark is in the living room.”

Tony dropped the dishes, not bothering to explain to Thor or Fandral who or what Stark was, but as they got into the living room to see the horse sized dragon sitting calmly, Tony walked over to her. He half expected her to have Loki's body with her, but she was alone. She walked towards him and pressed her nose to his chest on the arc reactor. He was incredibly surprised when he heard a voice echo through his mind.

_"Father," the voice said in his head, "you must put on your armour if we are to save my mother."_

It took a moment for Tony to understand. The voice was Stark's voice, and then another moment to understand that by 'mother' she meant 'Loki', and by 'father' she meant him. He looked at her agape and she nudged him urgently.

“This is Stark, Loki's familiar. She's going to take us to him.”

Thor looked at Tony surprised, and then he looked at Stark, who moved towards them. Tony didn't know where they were going or what they would face, and he heard Stark's voice in his head again as he stepped back beside Thor, now in his full armour.

_"You have spare sources of power, father?"_

“Yes, I have spare sources here,” Tony said. “Why didn't you bring Loki with you?”

_"He is not fit to be moved... and he has no magic to spare."_

As much as Tony didn't like the sound of that, not five minutes ago he thought Loki was dead. This was something, this was the knowledge that Loki was alive. He could begin to hope.

“Thor, Fandral, you feel like mounting a rescue mission?”

“My brother lives?” Thor asked.

“According to Stark here. He's hurt and we need to get going. Stark, stay here. Thor, go into my bedroom, in the closet on the right is Loki's rucksack. I checked it the other day and he's been stockpiling Golden Apples. I'm gonna suit up and grab a spare core or two.” 

Thor went off to grab the rucksack as Tony suited up, in record time they were ready to go. “JARVIS, you downloaded onto the suit's portable server?”

“Yes sir.”

“Then let's get going.” 

They all stood beside Stark, Thor with Loki's rucksack on his back, as the dragon wove magic around them and Tony felt something pass into his body, finding its way to his arc reactor. He realised Stark was using the energy from the reactor to fuel her own power. They found themselves flying through the air, magical winds whipping around them. Tony had Jarvis record what information he could before they found themselves upon a desert planet with two suns burning bright in the sky. 

Stark ducked and threaded her neck between Fandral's legs, settling him on her saddle as she took to the air without warning. Thor and Tony followed, flying towards a massive crater littered with debris from various ships.

On the ground they could see Chitauri scouring the wreckage, hollering at each other. Stark breathed fire at them, sending them scurrying away. She stopped in the middle of the debris and began to pick her way through, as Tony and Thor took care of Chitauri whom were descending upon their position.

_“He is in there_ ,” Stark said, _“You must hurry.”_

Upon hearing this, Thor began to rip the ship apart and he ducked inside. Tony followed, leaving Fandral and Stark to guard the entrance. What had looked like a small pod from the top, turned out to be a pod crashed into some sort of underground facility. Thor and Tony raced through the facility until they came upon dead Chitauri, killed by what looked like ice shards to the throat.

They found Loki on the floor, a large Chitauri dead beside him. Loki's armour was all gone, except for the leather trousers. His skin was blue, his magic completely drained. He had wounds and burns over his body, and Tony saw the familiar sight of broken ribs poking through his lover's side.

“I cannot touch him when he is in that form,” Thor said, “his touch burns.”

“No, only when there's intent behind it,” Tony told him as he bent down. “We need to move him.”

Thor pulled off his brother's rucksack from his own back and opened it. He looked surprised as he searched inside and pulled out a vial of amber coloured liquid. “This is apple juice... easier to store I suppose. If you sit him up, I can trickle it down his throat.”

Tony gently manoeuvred Loki so that Thor could begin dripping the apple juice into his mouth.

“Come on brother,” Thor said softly. “Just like when we were children, please do not die... please...”

“Let me pick him up, Thor. Then we can get out of here.”

Tony picked Loki up gently, he knew once they were outside in the heat they needed to move quickly. Loki in his Jotun form couldn't stay out in the heat for long. Thor pulled his own cloak off and helped Tony wrap Loki in it, apparently sensing this problem as well.

Thor told Stark to take Fandral and Loki, and flee with Tony, and he would catch up. Tony didn't argue, he didn't know what Thor was going to do, but Thor looked _furious_.

As they flew away, Tony turned back to witness one of the biggest storms he'd ever seen in his life. Even bigger than the one Thor had summoned for the battle with the Chitauri in New York. Lightening struck all over the crater, and Tony knew without asking that any Chitauri that had been alive moments ago, had now gone to meet their maker.

As Thor caught back up to them, he did not speak. They merely stood with Stark and let her lead them home.

All there was left to do now was hope Loki could heal.

~*~*~*~

It took twenty-four hours for Loki's skin to return to its Asgardian form. Tony stayed beside Loki's side through the whole day, as Fandral and Thor took turns keeping him company and acquiring food, by way of telling Jarvis to send for something. 

It was late morning before Loki stirred and Tony was frankly surprised he was waking so quickly. He felt Loki squeese his hand and he asked tentatively, “Loki?”

Loki's eyes slowly flickered open and he looked at Tony with great confusion. It seemed he couldn't quite comprehend what he was seeing. He couldn't quite understand how he was where he was.

It took a moment for tears to form in Loki's eyes. Tony leaned forward and kissed him softy, wiping away his tears. Tony didn't know if they were tears of pain, relief or joy, but they were tears, and Loki was alive and could at least produce them.

“Tony... I am alive?”

“You are alive,” Tony said. “You think I'd let you die out there alone? You're worth more than that, Loki, you're worth way more than that.”

“I am broken,” Loki whispered, staring at Tony. He reached a hand up to touch Tony's face, tears falling from his eyes. “I'm so sorry.”

Tony moved to lay down beside Loki. He knew Thor was there and he just couldn't bring himself to give a shit. He gathered Loki into his arms and said softly, “Don't be sorry, let me fix you.”

Loki closed his eyes and held tightly onto Tony. He shook from head to toe as sobs wracked his frame. He'd seen Loki shed tears before, but he'd never seen him fall apart. He knew through all the months, he knew _now_ that Loki wouldn't stop to think long enough to fall apart, thinking he wouldn't need to deal with everything he'd gone through, not properly. Tony simply held him close, letting him cry out the pain he felt. Thor lay down on the bed behind his brother and simply rubbed his back. It was a few minutes before Loki seemed to realise he was there.

He whispered softly, “Thor?”

“You are safe now, brother, rest.” Thor moved closer, wrapping an arm around Loki's waist, his hand settling on Tony's hip. Thor and Tony had essentially sandwiched Loki between them.

Tony gently stroked Loki's face, and Loki fell asleep between his lover and his brother. 

Tony looked over at Thor, who had tears falling from his eyes as he looked at Loki. He spoke softly, a deep sadness permeating his words, “It has been many years since I saw him like this... I do not know what to do for him. The last time he was so bereft... it was Fenrir's death, and it was my fault.”

Tony stroked Loki's cheek and then looked at Thor. “You need to go see your parents, they need to know he's alive. Tell them he's going nowhere, I'm keeping him here. Fandral should go with you, give me a bit of time alone with him, alright?”

Thor smiled faintly and very slowly he sat up, looking at him. “I will let them know... I trust that you will look after him - as you have done for these months - while I speak with them?”

Tony nodded and smiled a bit, “Yeah, Thor, I'll look after your little brother.”

Thor walked from the room, leaving Tony with a sleeping Loki. All Tony could think when he looked upon Loki was how peaceful he looked and how much he was glad to have him home.

~*~*~*~

The next morning Tony woke to find Stark sleeping in the corner of the bedroom and Loki fast asleep. He looked at Loki, taking in the bruises, the cuts, the burns and breaks. Deciding Loki would appreciate a bath, he got up and instructed JARVIS to run one for Loki. He got out Loki's favorite pair of sweatpants, and the fluffiest towels he could find, before going back to wake him up, but found him already awake as he went back to the bedroom.

“Hey,” Tony said, walking towards him and pulling the covers back. “I have a bath running with your name on it, and seeing as you're covered in blood, you could be doing with one.”

Loki didn't say anything as Tony lifted him into his arms, the taller man much easier to move now that he had the strength of an Asgardian. As Tony lowered Loki into the bath, Loki closed his eyes and groaned softly.

“There we go,” Tony said quietly, watching as Loki slowly relaxed in the warm water. Tony sat on the closed toilet at the head of the bath and a slightly tense silence filled the air. He had so much he wanted to say, and yet he wasn't really sure _how_ to say even half of it. He was thrilled that Loki was alive and safe, he was hurt that Loki ran off to die without asking him for help, and he was just aching inside at seeing the destruction in Loki's wake, and how broken he seemed to be.

“Tony... do you hate me?” Loki asked softly, a slight waver to his voice.

“No,” Tony said immediately. “I love you. I'm... hurt that you didn't ask me for help, but not really surprised. I want you to _swear_ that you'll ask me in future, Loki, because if you ever do this to me again, I'll kick your scrawny ass. And I mean it, I've got Asgardian strength now.”

Tony's rant startled a bit of a laugh from Loki, who smiled, the smile slightly broken, but it was a smile all the same.

“I swear I will ask before I go off and do something this suicidal again...”

“Good, we have an understanding then.”

The silence fell again, but this time it wasn't so uncomfortable. Tony looked again at Loki and he couldn't help it, he had to know.

“Loki... what happened?”

“I blew up four Chitauri power grids, two power plants, a war ship and a moon station. They were so busy trying to find me, trying to resupply their grid, that the huge asteroid heading towards them wasn't noticed until it was too late. The asteroid was made of a highly explosive material, it knocked the planet out of orbit and ripped a massive chunk out of the surface, right down to the core. I was on one of their ships, the one I knew that The Other was on, and I found him and I killed him.”

Tony slowly ran a hand through Loki's hair, there was a note of satisfaction in his voice at this last statement.

“Tony...” Loki reached up, taking Tony's hand in his. “I killed him... I took a knife and I slit his filthy throat... I _killed_ him.” Loki's hand tightened in Tony's and tears fell from his eyes. Tony kissed his cheek.

“Give me my hand back for a minute.”

Loki let go of his hand, watching him. Tony got undressed and moved to the head of the bath, he pushed Loki forward and got in behind him. The bath was more than big enough for the two of them, and he pulled Loki back against his chest, his arms settling around him.

“Was he the one who hurt you?”

“Yes,” Loki whispered. “They found me when I'd fallen from the bifrost. I don't think they knew what I was, but _he_ liked the look of me... He took delight in making me scream and cry and plead for mercy. It was Thanos who realised what I was, he took me away from the Other... painted himself as my saviour. But he wasn't... he was worse in the end. Pushed me into a war I had no desire for.”

Tony rubbed his neck and kissed his cheek.

“They can't hurt you anymore. You killed them all.”

“I killed _most_ of them... Thanos is coming with the 14 warships. No doubt he knows I am responsible for the silence now emanating from Chitauri space. No doubt he will want to make me pay for this.”

“Let them come...” Tony said softly, kissing Loki's neck. “You're not alone Loki.”

“I do not play well with others.” Loki said softly.

“That's not how Thor tells it... but right now, let's just get you better.”

Loki nodded silently, letting Tony simply hold him, and that was how they spent most of the rest of their day. In the bath or on the couch, Tony holding Loki, while Loki simply rested both his body and his mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry I gave you all heart attacks and I'll just say that if any of you guys ever read anything else of mine, I tag very carefully. :) Thank you for all the comments and such, they make my day when they come through.


	16. Reconciliation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some grovelling from Fandral and some family bonding.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more chapter after this :D Thank you for all the comments, broken hearts and encouragement. You guys all rock.

Chapter 16  
Reconciliation

After his bath Loki lay naked on the bed, letting Tony dress his various wounds. The worst of the wounds had been a massive chunk missing from Loki's thigh, which Loki had explained was the Other's pet's doing.

By 'pet' Loki had meant an unfortunate creature from another world that had been reduced to little more than a rabid dog. He voiced the opinion that it seemed to be the fate the Other had in mind for him, before Thanos took him. Tony shuddered at the thought, and once he'd wrapped all the wounds he let Loki sleep before he went to make some calls.

The first person on his list was Pepper. She had come straight up to see him, had hugged him tightly and told him she'd stay in the apartment in case she was needed. The next call was Steve, who said he'd be by later that night. 

Natasha's reaction had been pretty standard for her;

“Natasha, Loki's back from his mission. He's safe and healing.”

“How did things go?” she asked. 

He gave her an abridged version of events and after a good long pause she replied, ”Good, tell him we're going to help him destroy Thanos for trying to mess with Earth.” 

Clint, well Tony wasn't really sure to expect from Clint. What he hadn't expected was relief in Clint's voice, “Good, glad he did it. His letter was interesting, he fully expected to die, I get that and I give him respect for sacrificing himself to save Earth. I suppose I can forgive him for all the shit he's pulled so long as he bakes an apple pie again in the future.”

Then he called Rhodey, who seemed really happy, and Rhodey told Tony that he'd be accompanying Fury to see Loki to debrief him. Tony informed Rhodey that he'd only let Fury and him in if Loki was _willing_ to be debriefed on what happened. He had been through a lot in the past year or so.

All in all, the reactions had been low key and sane. When Tony asked Pepper why she was alright with him being with Loki, he found out that when Pepper had gone back to her office the day Loki left his letters, she found Loki had left her a letter as well.

“His letter made me cry Tony, and I had already been crying with you. It was a plea from him to me, to make sure you were okay. To keep you moving forward, no matter how hard you found it. I could read that he loved you deeply.”

“Sir, Loki is awake,” came Jarvis' voice.

Tony got up from the couch where he sat and he looked to Pepper with a small smile. “You wanna come meet my boyfriend? Well, you sort of met him once... 'Liam' was really Loki.”

Pepper smiled. “I figured,” she said and stood.

They walked together into the bedroom as Loki slowly tried to sit up. Tony walked towards him and helped him quietly, pulling extra pillows behind him. Loki winced as Tony lay him back against the pillows.

“I ache,” he said softly, his eyes closed.

“I know...” Tony said. “You up for a visitor?”

Loki opened his eyes and looked over to the door. He visibly surprised at what he saw.

“Pepper Potts.”

Pepper smiled, “How are you doing?”

“I have been better, but I have also been worse.”

Pepper nodded, “Did you do what you set out to do?”

Loki nodded. “The only part of my plan that did not work as expected was my death. However, I cannot say that I am unhappy about that result. It is difficult... but I will heal.”

“You will,” Pepper said. She glanced at Tony and then back to Loki, “You'll both heal. I'm going to leave you two alone for a while, I'll make some calls telling people you're unavailable.”

Tony watched as Pepper left the room and he sat with Loki on the bed, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. He smiled as Loki leaned against him.

“She's nice...” Loki said softly. “She was crazy not to marry you, but I am glad she said 'no' so that I can have you.”

Tony grinned, “I personally think she would have been crazy _to_ marry me. I mean... how many men can say they took a nuclear bomb to a space ship and would do it again?”

Loki smiled faintly and then he stilled, “Tony...”

“Yeah?”

“They're coming for you too, you know. They know it was you who directed that bomb to the ship they gave me control of. The Other told me, they are gunning for you, 'The Man of Iron'.”

“It changes nothing,” Tony said, running a hand through Loki's hair. “Let them come.” He kissed Loki's forehead, “With you by our side, Earth will be ready for them.”

Loki smiled faintly, “I hope you are right.”

“I'm always right,” Tony said. “You hungry?”

“Famished,” Loki said.

“Pancakes?”

Loki smiled, “Sounds delicious.”

~*~*~*~

Tony sat with Loki out in the living room, watching TV. It had been three days since he reappeared and he was healing well. The leg wound was still deep, but it was finally starting to fill in. They were watching something frivolous when the elevator doors into the penthouse opened. 

Thor walked into the room, it was the first Tony had seen Thor since he'd helped him get Loki home. Fandral was with Thor and, before anyone could say anything, Fandral had rushed forward, kneeling before Tony in the submissive gesture used before the king.

“Fandral, what are you doing?” Loki asked him, sitting up a bit straighter, wincing as he did.

“Mostly grovelling. You would not let me speak last time I saw you...” Fandral said, still not looking up at Loki.

Loki remained silent, and it was Thor who asked, “Why do you need to grovel?”

“Because I was a coward, Thor. I saw him on that throne, lost and clearly in pain. I saw the look in his eyes, the wavering of his voice, I knew something terrible had to be wrong. Instead of staying back, instead of talking to him, I followed the others to fetch you... when he had told us explicitly not to go.”

Fandral looked up at Loki.

“I should have come to see you alone. I am so sorry, Loki. I let my bitterness get to me, my hurt. I thought if we could get Thor, he might be able to help with whatever it was you were going through.”

“I thought you all abandoned me. When _you_ left with them it hurt more, you who knew me better than Volstagg, Sif and Hogun. You who knew me best Fandral.”

“All I can do is beg your forgiveness,” Fandral said desperately. Tony saw anger rising in Loki's eyes and he sat up straighter in his seat.

“You who knew me best...” Loki repeated. “You who knew I had a plan to stop the coronation, you who shared my bed, my company. You-”

“Your _bed_!? Fandral!” 

Fandral looked abashed, wincing at the anger clear in Thor's tone, “I suppose I deserve that.”

“He was off limits to you!” Thor said furiously, “My _little brother_! All the times I despaired of his habits and you slept with him!?”

“Thor, your 'little brother' is a hunter of men and a damn fine one at that. He hunted me as a game, we formed a bond-”

“A bond you clearly forgot,” Loki said.

“I remember it now... I remembered it when I brought apples to Tony for you,” Fandral said, looking up once more at Loki. Tony saw there was a pain in his eyes as he stared at Loki and he said very softly, “I did not want to come see you on the throne as you had told me to stay away from you for a while. Until I...” Fandral glanced at Thor, who was still glaring at him, and then he looked back to Loki.

“I know,” Loki said, his voice full of the tears he refused to shed. “But... you saw me, you knew I never wanted that throne. You must have known what it was doing to me, watching everything around me fall apart... No Thor, no father, no you and no Fenrir by my side. Just me, alone up there, with the weight of Asgard on my shoulders!”

“I am _so_ sorry...” Fandral said, his own voice wavering. “I know it makes no difference now, but I need you to know I am sorry and I want to be there for you. I know you do not want me the way I wanted you, that is why I distanced myself from you, but let me be your _friend_ , Loki. Please?”

Tony watched Fandral and Loki carefully, his arm around Loki's shoulders. He felt Loki was shaking a little, be it from anger or upset he didn't know.

His fingers squeesed Loki's shoulder and Loki said softly, “You claimed that you loved me five years ago. Was it my rejection of you that caused you to turn your back on me?”

“No Loki...” Fandral said, his eyes pained.

“Is that why you both stopped spending time together?” Thor asked, looking between them. Tony wondered how Thor could have missed this between Loki and Fandral. It was clear as Fandral looked at Loki that he felt more than friendship for him.

“Yes,” Fandral said. “I told him I needed time to distance myself from him so that we might become friends proper, instead of me loving him and never having it returned.”

“Why didn't you tell me this Fandral?” Thor asked.

“Because it was between Loki and I. Not everything is about _you_ , Thor,” Fandral said, now looking at Thor. “Loki is more than capable of looking after himself. When I saw what his plan had been to disgrace you... I was going to go find him to talk to him, but Sif, Volstrag and Hogun found me and we found you both conversing in the Hall of Heroes. It was too late to do anything, I couldn't tell anyone I knew he was up to something.”

“I was always up to _something_ Fandral.” Loki said.

“Well that is true... but not that, Loki. I defended you when Sif and the others accused you of leading those monsters into Asgard. Then I find out you really did do it...”

“It - It made sense at the time. I never intended to ever make it to Jotunhiem, I _told_ you that. I thought the guards would have stopped us, I thought I would have been able to delay us with Hiemdall on the bridge, but he was more angry and Thor more reckless than I had anticipated... Things quickly got away from me.”

Silence fell between them for a few minutes as they all contemplated Loki's words. Thor walked towards Loki and Tony, Tony wasn't sure what would happen between the brothers, they hadn't properly spoken in over a year, except to argue and fight.

Thor sat beside them and looked at his brother, who would not meet his gaze.

“Our parents want you home,” Thor said softly, looking at his brother.

“I do not have a home.” Loki said quietly.

“You do,” Thor said. “Asgard is your home, Asgard will _always_ be your home,” Thor continued, placing a hand on Loki's shoulder. “Mother and father wish to see you, they wish to meet your new familiar, Stark. They – we...” Thor gripped Loki's shoulder a little tighter, and Loki looked up now at Thor.

“ _I_ miss you,” Thor said. “I _need_ you Loki, I need my brother by my side when I take the throne. I need you by my side to advise me, to point out the errors of my ways. Alone, neither of us is suited to that throne. Together Loki, we - the sons of Odin - are unstoppable. Asgard would be unstoppable.”

“You never listened before...” Loki said softly, looking at Thor.

“I listen now,” Thor said softly. “I have learned here on Midgard, with the help of the Avengers, how to be _truly_ part of a team. How to be led and take direction, not just wade into battle alone and expect you or someone else to pick up the pieces. We have both changed... We have much to salvage, brother. I love you, now please... come home.”

Thor looked taken aback as Loki moved towards him quickly, hugging his brother, but it was only a moment before he wrapped his arms around Loki and held his little brother while he cried.

Tony stood, grabbing Fandral by the upper arm, and leading him to the kitchen to give the brothers space. Tony knew not all had been said between them and he felt like it was only fair that they had privacy to deal with the issues between them. Loki and Thor's relationship would never be as it was, but Tony had faith that they'd find a peace between them. He had faith that if anyone could find a way to reconcile things with Loki, it would be Thor.

And he'd be there by Loki's side, every step of the way.


	17. New Beginnings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A return to Asgard, an awkward conversation with Fandral and an epilogue.

Chapter 17  
New Beginnings

It must have been an odd sight for the Asgardians as Thor, Loki, Fandral and the Avengers, plus Lady Jane and Pepper, walked into the city proper. Thor had arranged for the new bifrost to bring them all there, and to say that Heimdall gave Loki a dirty look was an understatement, though it didn't seem to bother Loki in the least.

Loki strode alongside his brother, with Tony by his side and Jane by Thor's. She was looking around, fascinated at everything and everyone, and Tony? Well, Tony only was concerned with how Loki was doing returning home, walking at his brother's side, instead of in chains like the last time.

Their first stop was to the healing rooms, so that Loki could get his various still healing injuries looked over. The healers commended him on how quickly he was healing and then told him he was free to go, after they'd rubbed some healing ointment over his skin.

After that, Thor took Loki alone to see Odin and Frigga. Tony hated not being present for Loki seeing his parents, but he supposed he'd hear about it soon enough. Instead he spent the afternoon with Pepper and Jane, exploring the gardens, and Tony found a tree that bore fruit that Loki had brought with him to Earth. They were continually stared at by other Asgardians until Fandral met up with them and took them on a tour of the palace and it's grounds. Jane and Pepper broke away from the group, leaving Tony and Fandral alone. As they stood together on the balcony of the Feast Hall, Fandral spoke, his tone tense.

“So... Loki and you...”

Tony winced, this was going to be painful, “Yeah...”

“He loves you,” Fandral said, and it wasn't a question. “I see the way he is with you. He's as open with you as I wish he had been with me. How... how did you..?” Fandral trailed off.

“Why me and not you?” Tony asked.

“Yes,” Fandral said, looking at Tony, and Tony smiled a bit.

“I don't know, Fandral,” Tony said. “I don't know what he sees in me that made him fall in love with me.”

“I still love him,” Fandral said, “but you make him happy... That's all I've ever truly wanted, so I'll try to be nothing but happy for him. You will have to forgive me if it is hard at times... I doubt I will ever get over him.”

“You will,” Tony said with a small smile. “Right now you feel like your heart has broken. You feel maybe like you can't breathe, and not too long ago you were angry enough at him for not wanting you that you wanted to hurt him just a little. Then, one day, you'll find yourself with someone new, someone who makes you forget the hurt, someone who chases it all away and before you know it the ache inside isn't because of the pain you have over a lost lover, it's the ache of love for someone new...”

Tony smiled at Fandral's curious gaze, “That's what Loki is to me. He healed my broken heart.”

Silence fell between them for a few moments, each of them watching as the sun began to set. Tony wondered how long Fandral had been in love with Loki, how long he had harboured his feelings without ever voicing them. Before he could ask, Loki's voice broke him of his thoughts.

“I wondered where you had gotten to...” Loki walked out onto the balcony and Fandral beat a hasty retreat. Tony watched him leave and then looked to Loki. He wondered now why Loki had fallen in love with him, and not someone like Fandral. Someone dependable, reliable, the sort of person he thought Pepper should be dating as well. 

“What happened between you and him?” Tony asked as Loki wrapped an arm around his waist, watching the sun finishing setting.

“He fell in love, I did not.”

Tony frowned, “How long were you together?”

“We were never 'together',” Loki said, looking at Tony curiously. “You have nothing to worry about from him, I have never wanted to be his and he will never have me.”

“He loves you.”

“I know. He confessed about five years ago, and I told him it was foolish as I did not love him and never would. Fandral, he is... too Asgardian. He hunts, he fights, he wars and he never appreciates my sorcery the way he ought to. I could have tried a relationship with him, but I did not love him, and I thought it was cruel to 'string him along'. I broke it off, I told him to take time and space... I missed my friend, but I knew I needed to make it easier on him.”

Tony smiled, not that he had felt insecure in his and Loki's relationship, it was just nice to hear Loki tell him that he and Fandral were ancient history.

“Good, I wouldn't want to hurt the guy,” Tony said with a smile. “Me and the suit, you know?”

“I know.”

“So how did the talk with your parents go?”

Loki looked a little strained, “It was... difficult. Father tried to talk to me about everything that has happened. I gave him a very abridged version and let him know that if it wasn't for you, I'd be dead on more than one occasion. We talked a little about the so called 'crimes' I committed, and I managed to talk my way out of most of them.”

“Blowing up Jotunhiem?” Tony asked, “That's not a crime?”

“We were officially at war,” Loki said, “I was just using a... What did I hear it called on Midgard, ah yes, 'Weapon of Mass Destruction'.”

“What about taking over Earth?”

“I was forced into an action I did not truly wish to take.”

Tony smiled, “And blowing up the Chitauri?”

“I explained their nature to father, he agreed that perhaps on 'this occasion' genocide may have been the answer.”

“And here I thought genocide was never the answer.”

Loki smiled, “Things will get better.”

“What about the apple pies?”

A smile spread across Loki's face. “Oh he was furious, but I pointed out again that _technically_ I broke no law. The way the law is written, I cannot take _whole_ apples out of Asgard. I never did. I cored, cut and peeled the apples before transporting them, and fed them to you in an apple pie. Not in their entirety.”

“Is he going to take our powers away? Because really, I've grown fond of being able to throw people around.”

“He said you are all on probation as 'Champions of Midgard'. It wasn't unusual in days gone by to give an apple to a champion, Beowulf was given an apple. There are several people in history whom were given golden apples as they proved their worth as guardians. I pointed out all the Avengers had done on Midgard, both together and singularly. Your Arc Reactors, Steve Rogers battling of the Red Skull, Hawkeye and Natasha's many missions together, and the advances in science that Bruce has managed. He was dubious about Pepper, but I told him your life is difficult to manage without her around. She is a necessity in the smooth running of your life.”

Tony smiled, “I appreciate that.”

“I also told him should he try to take your long life from you, I would simply give you another golden apple. So it is pointless.” They began walking from the hall. “So on that note, father is arranging a feast celebrating the 'Heroes of Midgard' tomorrow evening.” Loki laced their fingers together, “It will give us quite the stage to cause a scandal.”

Tony grinned, “That's my forte.”

“I had noticed,” Loki said with a grin. “But before tomorrow, I wish to take you to my chamber and show you just how much the God of Flesh knows about the workings of your body.”

Tony grinned, “Well I've already seen quite a lot of that.”

“Well you should know how good it is going to be then, shouldn't you?”

Tony laughed and they walked down the corridors towards Loki's rooms, kissing, snuggling and flirting all the way. They were both aware of the odd looks they were getting with their blatant shows of affection, but neither of them could bring themselves to care.

~*~*~*~*

The feast had been a wonderful affair, what Tony could recall of it at least. He and Thor had gotten into a drinking competition. Tony figured he was a functioning alcoholic, and now that he had his golden apple magic he was sure he would beat him in _any_ drinking competition. However, the reality was that Thor was a thousand year old hardened mead drinker whom knew how to hold his drink, and Tony was a 43 year old scotch drinker who vastly regretted dancing on the table come the next morning.

There were hundreds of people at the feast, and Tony had heard a few people talking about the last large feast, which had been Loki's wake. He talked with a few people who expressed jubilation at the youngest son of Odin being returned, as it meant when Thor was on the throne he would have the wise counsel of his brother in his ear.

When he'd heard that, Tony wondered if anyone had ever told Loki that his opinion was valued among the people. He danced with Loki a few times, and their kisses and caresses had gained them much notoriety, but Tony didn't care. He heard whispers wondering if such behaviour between men was common on Midgard, and had laughed when Steve and Clint got up to dance and made a show of being touchy feely. Well Clint did, Steve mostly stood there looking mortified whenever Clint squeesed his ass, as Natasha stood by the side laughing. It had provided an opportunity for Pepper to 'rescue' Steve from this and dance with him instead.

Tony also got to talking with Hogun briefly, and Hogun said he'd missed his and Loki's races through the forest. They apparently took their horses riding every other month and raced as fast as they could. He spoke with Volstagg, who told him he'd missed Loki's silver tongue on occasion when they'd had need of wit, and then there was Sif who had grudgingly admitted things 'hadn't been the same' since Loki had left.

All in all, the feast had been magnificent and when they went to return to Midgard, Loki returned with them. Tony's plan was to have Loki work with him, to finally check into his magic and to work with SHIELD in prepairing for Thanos. 

They had dealt with one threat and with Loki's help and the help of the Avengers, Tony knew whatever storm came, they would face and weather it together.

~*~*~*~*~

Liam Alexander was Tony's 'Guy'. The guy who could get stuff, the guy who worked with SHIELD on figuring out how to deal with the Chitauri. The fact that Nick Fury knew Liam was Loki, well, Tony wasn't going to tell the World Security Council if he wasn't.

With Fury's help, they had in fact crafted Liam a whole identity and back story, complete with birth certificate, passport and a spattering of social media. Tony had helped compile a fake employment history and had hired him on in Stark Industries as a 'consultant'. Fury was willing to let him stay free on Earth so long as he assisted the Avengers with the coming threat, and the fact that Rhodey had provided Fury with a shit load of data regarding the Chitauri, Fury felt that Loki's debt was almost paid.

As for Loki's relationship with the Avengers, well, his flair for cooking had earned him a place close to Steve's heart. Steve told Loki his apple pie, though dubious in its intent, had been delicious. Loki had thanked him for the compliment by making him the apple strudel that he had based the recipe for the pies on.

Sometimes Loki would disappear for a day or two and appear with some new item or product to put towards their tech. Loki had a phone conversation twice a month with Fury if they had any questions about the tech he had acquired. 

Natasha and Loki had bonded over sushi and trashy daytime television. Natasha was a closet soap fan and Loki found the interactions between actors both hilarious and 'interesting'. Clint joined Natasha and Loki for sushi, but not the television, instead he showed his appreciation for Loki's company by giving him beer and showing him 'proper movies', which to Tony's ears was mostly stuff including massive explosions.

Bruce and Loki, well, Bruce was a science geek and he had convinced Loki to give him a bunch of samples and scans, including a semen sample. Loki's reaction had been a straight 'no' until Tony explained why he might need it.

“It's so he can compare the way yours looks to ours. Bruce is a scientist, he just wants to find out everything he can about your physiology.”

“But you _had_ samples...”

“Not from when we have sex,” Tony said. “He needs _clean_ samples,” Tony added, handing a vial to Loki, which Bruce had given him when he'd asked him to get a semen sample from his boyfriend.

Loki took the vial, looking at it contemplative and then a grin spread across his face as he pushed Tony up against the wall, kissing him deeply. “I may need some help with obtaining the sample.”

After that, Loki spent twenty minutes kissing him, touching him, turning him on and then he pulled back, his hand moving to his own trousers, unfastening them, stroking himself. He handed the little vial to Tony, who held it for him as he stroked himself, finally coming.

Loki kissed his cheek and mouth and said softly, “That was most _unsatisfying_. Too clinical.”

“Too clinical?” Tony said, breathing hard. There was nothing clinical about it. Hell, if this is what they did in sperm banks, he was sure they'd be getting millions of donors a day. “Well...” Tony said, his hands running up Loki's back, “If you can get it up again, I have a suggestion on where you can put it.”

“Ooh, that sounds good,” Loki purred and dragged Tony to the bedroom.

It had been somewhat mind blowing and Tony felt it for days after.

Slowly the Avengers went off, one by one, back to their day jobs. Thor went back to Asgard with Lady Jane, whom was going to be looking at the bifrost, and Loki stayed with Tony. The hole in his life where Pepper had been now gone, and instead Loki was by his side, in his bed, in his heart and in his company.

**~~~~~~Epilogue~~~~~~**

As they sat together in the living room three months after Loki had almost died, Tony now knew why he and Loki worked, why things would work out fine between them in the long run. 

He was sitting, his hands with slight burns from an incident in the lab, while Loki absent mindedly ran his hands gently over the burns, easing the ache and healing the skin. Loki was wearing a basic T-shirt and sweatpants, looking gorgeous as ever, and he had a few bruises on his arms from sparring with Steve, who happened to be in residence at the moment.

“Loki, are you happy?” Tony asked softly and Loki turned to look at him.

“I am,” he replied. “I am happier now than I can ever remember being. I feel I have a place here, at your side is where I belong, even though I still can't quite understand why it is you want me. The things I have done... I'm not a 'good' person, not truly.”

“Because we fit,” Tony said, lacing his fingers with Loki's. “You'll never ask me to change, I'll never ask you to change, but I know if it came to it, I'd pick you over anything. I know while you're not 'good', you're not evil either. You're selfish, but that's not bad, it's honest. I'm selfish too, we can be selfish together.”

Loki smiled faintly, “Where you go, I follow.”

“I know that,” Tony said. “Whether I want to take over the world, laze about in Barbados, or make a hover-car, I know you'll find me and follow me, and you'll be there with me.”

Loki relaxed and returned to healing Tony's hands. “It is us against the Nine Realms. And whichever side you're on, that is where I will be. You have faith in me, and that's what I require. What all gods require really, a little bit of faith.”

A companionable silence fell once more between them as they watched the movie on the television. As he contemplated Loki's words, Tony realised it was what he needed as well. A little bit of faith that he'd do what's right, faith that when it came down to it, he'd make the right decision, like taking the suicide run to take out the Chitauri. He now knew what it felt like for Pepper, having gone through it from her side with Loki, but he knew that sometimes it came with the job and he had faith that Loki would survive, he had faith that he himself would survive.

As he thought of all that was still to come, the remainder of the Chitauri, catching Viper, and Thanos he smiled to himself.

It was going to be another busy year. And with Loki at his side, the universe could bring it on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that's all folks. Thank you for sticking with me on this, I hope you all know I appreciate every comment and kudos I get and it always spurs me on to write more. If you enjoyed this, keep an eye out for more from me, I've got a whole bunch of WIP's (frostiron obviously) and plan on starting to post another as soon as I have one finished. If you want to keep up with me I've acquired a tumblr account and plan on using it more now that I've completed my move and have reliable internet access. You can also find me on Livejournal all under the name Corcalamus.
> 
> Thank you all again, hope you enjoyed it and see you around the net :D
> 
> xxxxxx


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